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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: court · dip · current · sharp · plane · key · bear · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. court — of law
  3. plane — a tool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. key — for a lock
  12. court — for sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — of a king
  15. dip — to sink
  16. current — happening now
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. key — the most important part
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. current — of water
  24. bear — the animal

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