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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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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: jam · bass · date · face · fork · pound · object · nail

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fork — in a road
  5. object — an aim
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. face — part of the head
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. face — to confront
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. date — the fruit
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — to protest
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. object — a thing
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. face — to point toward

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