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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: board · firm · current · season · calf · jam · fork · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fork — in a road
  3. current — happening now
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. firm — a company
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. current — electric
  11. board — a committee
  12. pass — a permit
  13. season — in sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. firm — decided
  17. season — of the year
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. current — of water
  21. firm — steady
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. calf — a young animal

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