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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. prune — to trim
  4. game — wild animals
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. toast — bread
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. current — happening now
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. current — of water
  11. bass — low music
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. current — electric
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bass — the fish
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. game — a match
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. prune — the fruit

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