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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: mouse · spring · degree · can · current · last · lie · mark

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. spring — of water
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — the season
  9. last — final
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — happening now
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spring — a coil
  19. degree — temperature
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — electric
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — a grade

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