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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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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 · perch · leaves · root · fork · cabinet · straw · squash

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fork — in a road
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. root — the cause
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. squash — the sport
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. squash — to crush
  16. root — of a word
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. root — of a plant
  24. jam — a tight spot

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