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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 · saw · fork · can · court · swing · spell · fine

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. swing — music
  6. court — of a king
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fine — all right
  11. swing — in golf
  12. court — of law
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. spell — magic
  21. court — for sport
  22. saw — the tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fork — in a road

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