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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: charge · fork · fine · roll · face · bulb · trunk · row

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. row — a line
  5. face — part of the head
  6. row — to paddle
  7. face — to point toward
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fine — high quality
  10. roll — a cake
  11. charge — a price
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. roll — a list
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bulb — for light
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. charge — in control
  20. fine — all right
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. face — to confront

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