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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.

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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: cabinet · pass · calf · current · can · temple · bat · pop

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — the animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. current — electric
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pop — music
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pop — to visit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. current — of water
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pop — soda

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