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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · dip · spring · spell · pit · land · current

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. dip — to sink
  3. current — of water
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. spring — a coil
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — a hole
  13. current — happening now
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — in music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. land — a country
  18. spell — letters
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. land — ground

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