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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
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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 · stem · key · rule · current · mine · wave · court

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. key — for a lock
  3. court — for sport
  4. mine — for digging
  5. key — in music
  6. rule — a law
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — happening now
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stem — to come from
  22. court — of a king
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rule — government

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