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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: swing · jam · rash · toast · fork · snap · roll · present

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. roll — a list
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. present — there
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fork — in a road
  12. swing — to play on
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rash — a series
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. snap — to click
  20. swing — in golf
  21. rash — hasty
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. toast — bread
  24. fork — to eat with

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