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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 120 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: leaves · key · fork · kick · sharp · bulb · current · tube

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. key — in music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — a container
  5. fork — in a road
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. current — electric
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. key — the most important part
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. kick — in football
  20. bulb — for light
  21. current — of water
  22. sharp — clever
  23. tube — the underground
  24. current — happening now

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