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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · date · mark · wake · charge · chip · sharp · can

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. charge — electricity
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. date — the fruit
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. can — a tin
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fork — in a road
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. date — on the calendar

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