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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. root — of a word
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pass — a permit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fork — in a road
  19. root — the cause
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. can — a tin
  24. jam — a tight spot

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