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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: fork · wake · jam · bulb · roll · ruler · mug · bank

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mug — a face
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. roll — a list
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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