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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 · spell · arm · bulb · bass · chip · jam · stick

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. spell — letters
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bass — low music
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bulb — for light
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — in a road
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bass — the instrument

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