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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: foot · bear · ball · track · prune · jam · fork · racket

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ball — a dance
  8. track — a song
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fork — in a road
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — to keep track
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. foot — a measure
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. track — a path

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