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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: fork · jam · scale · stem · snap · stick · nail · roll

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stem — to come from
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. roll — a cake
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. roll — a list
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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