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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: file · fork · safe · face · prune · charge · swing · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fork — in a road
  3. roll — a list
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. swing — in golf
  8. file — a document
  9. face — to confront
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. face — to point toward
  13. prune — to trim
  14. charge — a price
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a line of people
  18. prune — to trim
  19. swing — music
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. file — a tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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