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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: track · current · bark · key · cap · season · foot · fork

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. fork — in a road
  3. current — happening now
  4. season — in sport
  5. track — to keep track
  6. current — electric
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. track — a path
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cap — a hat
  15. current — of water
  16. season — of the year
  17. key — in music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bark — to shout
  20. track — a song
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. season — to add flavour

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