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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: bear · pit · chair · bass · fork · snap · face · jam

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. snap — to click
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bass — low music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. face — to confront
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. face — to point toward
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. face — part of the head
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. chair — a professorship

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