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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 116 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: field · fork · mark · charge · rock · pitcher · race · dip

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. field — farmland
  12. race — a contest
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rock — music
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. dip — to sink
  18. field — for sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. field — a subject
  23. race — humankind
  24. charge — in control

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