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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
468
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: club · charge · game · pound · plane · fine · pop · fork

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pop — soda
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fine — all right
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. club — a group
  17. pop — music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fork — in a road
  23. club — for golf
  24. charge — electricity

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