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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: cell · current · cap · dip · fork · deal · bound · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. current — electric
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. current — of water
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cap — a lid
  11. current — happening now
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cell — in biology
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cap — of ice
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cell — in a prison
  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