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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: jam · can · bark · wave · board · nail · roll · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bark — to shout
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. spring — the season
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — a tin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — a tin
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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