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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: charge · march · fork · rock · sharp · prune · jam · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. march — music
  5. fork — in a road
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. rock — a stone
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. charge — a price
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rock — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bowl — to roll

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