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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: staff · ground · jam · hand · mark · scale · bulb · fork

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — in a road
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. hand — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ground — a position
  10. staff — employees
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. scale — size or range
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. scale — in music
  19. staff — a stick
  20. hand — help
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fork — to eat with

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