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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.

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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: prune · key · bay · fork · board · can · current · pitcher

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fork — in a road
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. current — happening now
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. can — a tin
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. current — of water
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. key — the most important part
  18. current — electric
  19. prune — to trim
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. key — in music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. can — to be able to

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