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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: mine · bark · fork · fine · stick · pit · drill · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bark — to shout
  4. charge — in control
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. drill — army training
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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