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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · hide · jam · bound · fork · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bound — certain
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. fork — in a road
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. can — a tin
  9. bound — tied together
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. row — to paddle
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bound — obliged
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fork — a garden tool

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