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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. charge — a price
  6. wound — an injury
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. suit — clothes
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bass — the fish
  12. track — a path
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bass — low music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. track — a song
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bark — of a tree

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