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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: present · fork · plane · key · net · deal · date · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. present — a gift
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. current — of water
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. present — there
  11. plane — a tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. current — happening now
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fork — in a road
  18. key — in music
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. net — after costs
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. present — the time now
  24. date — on the calendar

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