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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 · bass · perch · lash · shower · wave · bound · fork

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bound — obliged
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bound — tied together
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bass — low music
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bound — certain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — an eyelash

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