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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: content · tube · fall · jam · perch · rock · fork · bowl

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. fall — to drop
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fall — the season
  5. content — happy
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rock — music
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. content — the amount
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rock — a stone
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fork — in a road
  23. tube — the underground
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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