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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 · can · fork · field · prune · racket · rest · cap

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. cap — a lid
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cap — of ice
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. prune — to trim
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rest — a break
  20. cap — a hat
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. field — for sport

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