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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: current · court · fork · dip · saw · stock · jam · rest

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stock — shares
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. current — electric
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. court — of law
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rest — a break
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. court — for sport
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — happening now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. current — of water
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fork — in a road
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. court — of a king

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