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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 · current · fine · fork · key · suit · bat · bark

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. season — of the year
  4. current — of water
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. key — in music
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fine — all right
  14. bat — the animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. season — in sport
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fine — high quality
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. key — for a lock

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