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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: fork · bear · club · prune · field · jam · pit · wave

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. club — for golf
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pit — a hole
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fork — in a road
  19. field — farmland
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. field — for sport
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. field — a subject

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