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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: rock · wave · foot · date · firm · tube · stick · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. firm — decided
  3. date — the fruit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rock — music
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — a stone
  17. firm — steady
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. tube — a container
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. firm — a company
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — a measure

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