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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: racket · rock · coach · jam · stick · rest · fork · wax

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rest — a break
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wax — to grow
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. jam — in traffic

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