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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.

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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: spring · swing · lean · capital · can · pass · board · current

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. swing — music
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — thin
  8. capital — a city
  9. board — a committee
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. spring — the season
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. can — a tin
  15. spring — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. capital — money
  18. swing — to play on
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. board — to get on
  22. current — of water
  23. can — to be able to
  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