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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: current · season · net · can · dip · foot · prune · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. dip — to sink
  3. current — of water
  4. net — in sport
  5. snap — to click
  6. can — to be able to
  7. prune — to trim
  8. season — of the year
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. current — electric
  12. season — in sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. foot — a measure
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. net — for catching
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. can — a tin
  22. current — happening now
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. net — after costs

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