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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
468
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: sharp · bark · plane · fork · pound · bore · charge · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. charge — a price
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. charge — electricity
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. charge — in control
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — clever
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. plane — a tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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