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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: sharp · bear · jam · fork · wound · rock · cabinet · object

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. object — to protest
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wound — an injury
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rock — music
  16. fork — in a road
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bear — the animal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cabinet — ministers

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