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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: snap · root · object · jam · scale · foot · fork · pass

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fork — in a road
  3. root — of a plant
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. object — an aim
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. object — to protest
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — of a word
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. object — a thing
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. foot — a measure
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. root — the cause
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. snap — to click
  24. scale — for weighing

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