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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: nail · bank · pitch · perch · fork · last · tube · charge

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. last — final
  4. fork — in a road
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitch — completely
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. charge — a price
  14. last — to go on
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. tube — the underground

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