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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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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 · rock · spell · chip · root · charge · bark · wound

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rock — a stone
  7. root — the cause
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spell — magic
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. root — of a word
  22. charge — in control
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. spell — letters

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