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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 116 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: suit · spring · present · can · current · lean · rock · prune

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. can — to be able to
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. present — a gift
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — music
  13. present — there
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spring — of water
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. current — happening now
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — the time now
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. spring — the season

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