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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · stem · net · mug · ball · pass · current · suit

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. current — electric
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. net — in sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stem — to come from
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. net — for catching
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mug — a face
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. current — happening now

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