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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · current · dip · row · charge · plane · stem · suit

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — a price
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — in cards
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. row — to paddle
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lie — to recline
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com