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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: fork · firm · root · jam · land · pop · mouse · rush

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. firm — steady
  4. pop — music
  5. firm — a company
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. root — of a word
  11. land — to come down
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — to visit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pop — soda
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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