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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 · file · fork · calf · season · mate · net · bank

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mate — a partner
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. mate — a friend
  7. file — a document
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. net — after costs
  10. season — of the year
  11. fork — in a road
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. charge — a price
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. net — in sport
  17. season — in sport
  18. file — a tool
  19. net — for catching
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — in control
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fork — a garden tool

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