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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: charge · fork · stick · fine · pitcher · arm · land · last

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. charge — a price
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. fine — all right
  7. last — final
  8. fork — in a road
  9. charge — electricity
  10. land — ground
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. land — a country
  17. last — to go on
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. last — finally
  22. charge — in control
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. land — to come down

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