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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: racket · suit · jam · spell · pop · cap · bass · fork

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. spell — a short time
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — letters
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pop — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pop — soda
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. spell — magic
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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