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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: fork · arm · wave · charge · can · court · pop · content

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. court — for sport
  7. fork — in a road
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — of a king
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. content — happy
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. can — a tin
  20. pop — soda
  21. charge — electricity
  22. can — to be able to
  23. court — of law
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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