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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 116 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
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: current · bound · season · pit · plane · key · dip · bark

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. current — happening now
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. current — of water
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bound — obliged
  16. season — of the year
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. season — in sport
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. current — electric
  21. pit — in a race
  22. key — in music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. dip — to sink

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