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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 · deal · jam · tube · patient · row · bowl · spring

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. fork — in a road
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. row — a line
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — to handle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. spring — the season
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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