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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.

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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: pass · calf · can · mine · spring · lie · current · stick

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. current — happening now
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — to recline
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — of water
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spring — the season
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — a tin
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. can — to be able to
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pass — to succeed

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