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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.

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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.

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: mouse · stem · present · perch · rule · face · current · can

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rule — government
  3. present — a gift
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. present — there
  8. current — electric
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — of water
  11. stem — to come from
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — happening now
  14. face — to confront
  15. can — to be able to
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. present — the time now
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — a law

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