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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: fork · calf · dip · rush · field · bear · charge · sharp

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. charge — electricity
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. charge — a price
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. charge — in control
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rush — hurry
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. field — a subject
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — a thrill

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