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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: rock · bear · current · pound · fork · jam · net · wave

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. net — for catching
  7. current — happening now
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. net — in sport
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. net — after costs
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. current — electric
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. current — of water

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