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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 120 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: net · fork · prune · suit · mark · scale · charge · chip

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. charge — in control
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. net — in sport
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. charge — a price
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — to eat
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. scale — in music
  22. net — after costs
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fork — in a road

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