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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: calf · current · key · net · pass · spell · stem · dip

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. current — electric
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. net — in sport
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stem — to come from
  11. spell — letters
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. key — for a lock
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spell — magic
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. net — for catching
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. key — in music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. dip — to dunk

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