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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
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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 · pass · last · can · chair · pop · ruler · current

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. last — to go on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. current — happening now
  5. pop — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pop — soda
  8. current — electric
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pass — a permit
  11. can — a tin
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. spring — of water
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — a leader
  18. spring — a coil
  19. last — final
  20. spring — the season
  21. current — of water
  22. last — finally
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. chair — to sit on

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