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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.

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: charge · perch · bulb · nail · suit · content · field · fork

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bulb — for light
  3. charge — a price
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — in cards
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. field — farmland
  10. charge — electricity
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. field — for sport
  16. content — the amount
  17. bulb — for light
  18. field — a subject
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. charge — in control
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fork — a garden tool

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