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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
468
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: pop · stem · racket · jam · bound · bear · ball · fork

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pop — to visit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pop — music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pop — soda
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bound — tied together

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