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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. tube — a container
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. craft — a skill
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — electric
  12. charge — in control
  13. tube — the underground
  14. current — of water
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. spell — magic
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. content — the amount
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. current — happening now
  24. pit — a hole

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