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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: rock · band · cell · jam · bore · wave · mark · fork

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fork — in a road
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. band — a ring
  24. rock — to move gently

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