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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: pass · field · fork · row · jam · nail · temple · kid

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. field — farmland
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. row — to paddle
  7. field — for sport
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. kid — to tease
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. field — a subject
  21. kid — child
  22. pass — a permit
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a quarrel

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