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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 120 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: charge · game · pound · bark · fork · rush · squash · calf

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. charge — a price
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. squash — to crush

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