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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: bulb · key · net · season · trunk · cell · current · last

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. current — happening now
  2. net — for catching
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. season — in sport
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. season — of the year
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cell — in biology
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. current — electric
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. current — of water
  21. cell — a phone
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. last — finally
  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