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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: perch · fork · firm · tube · roll · board · jam · rock

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rock — a stone
  4. board — to get on
  5. tube — a container
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. firm — decided
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. firm — steady
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — a company
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — a list
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. tube — in a tire

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