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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: season · fork · kick · current · pit · key · snap · scale

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. season — in sport
  4. fork — in a road
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. scale — in music
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. kick — in football
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pit — in a race
  12. key — in music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. current — happening now
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. current — of water
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. scale — size or range
  21. season — of the year
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. current — electric

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