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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: bore · season · stem · jam · fork · cabinet · wave · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. season — of the year
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bore — to tire
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. season — in sport
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. tube — a container
  24. cabinet — ministers

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