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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: pass · jam · dip · bark · bass · fork · rush · club

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. 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. jam — a tight spot
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. club — a group
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — in a road
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pass — a permit
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bark — to shout
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bass — low music
  24. 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