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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: pass · root · fork · bowl · board · rest · jam · degree

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. degree — from a university
  6. root — the cause
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. degree — temperature
  10. root — of a word
  11. rest — what's left
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. degree — an amount
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pass — a permit
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rest — a break
  24. jam — a tight spot

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