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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. tube — a container
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. root — the cause
  11. last — finally
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. last — final
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fork — in a road
  17. suit — in cards
  18. root — of a word
  19. perch — the fish
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. last — to go on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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