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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
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: spring · wind · can · pass · rash · cabinet · spell · current

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. current — happening now
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. spring — of water
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — of water
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. spell — letters
  17. rash — a series
  18. can — to be able to
  19. spring — the season
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. current — electric

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