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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: leaves · pass · lash · can · capital · current · net · temple

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. net — in sport
  4. current — of water
  5. can — a tin
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. capital — a city
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. can — a tin
  16. capital — money
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. current — electric
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. current — happening now
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. can — to be able to

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