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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: fork · pitcher · trunk · jam · cap · current · bound · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bound — obliged
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. current — electric
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. current — happening now
  16. bass — the fish
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — a hat
  24. current — of water

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