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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · fork · hand · lie · bear · current · jam · root

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. hand — in cards
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. roll — a list
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. root — the cause
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fork — in a road
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. root — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. current — of water
  19. hand — help
  20. root — of a word
  21. lie — to recline
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. current — electric

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