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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: craft · wave · band · bulb · jam · spring · board · fork

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — boats
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. band — a ring
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. craft — a skill
  13. board — to get on
  14. band — a music group
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a committee
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. spring — the season
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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