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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
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 · spell · leaves · sharp · fork · ground · deal · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. current — electric
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bound — tied together
  12. deal — to handle
  13. current — happening now
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. ground — the earth
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spell — letters
  18. bound — certain
  19. ground — a position
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fork — in a road
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ground — crushed
  24. sharp — clever

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