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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · roll · jam · bulb · foot · swing · fork · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. swing — to play on
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. roll — a cake
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. foot — a measure
  11. spell — magic
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. spell — letters
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. spell — a short time
  18. dip — to sink
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. roll — a list
  24. bulb — of a plant

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