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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: fan · current · cabinet · charge · wake · fork · firm · mark

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. charge — a price
  5. current — of water
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — a grade
  13. charge — in control
  14. wake — a trail
  15. charge — electricity
  16. firm — decided
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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