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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — steady
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. can — to be able to
  8. firm — decided
  9. rash — a series
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. current — of water
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. current — electric
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — a company
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rash — hasty
  20. swing — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. swing — in golf

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