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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chair — a leader
  5. lean — thin
  6. field — farmland
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. field — for sport
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. field — a subject
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — of the year
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. charge — a price

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