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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: court · plane · fork · file · bulb · ball · chip · charge

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — in a road
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bulb — for light
  5. file — a line of people
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. chip — for betting
  9. charge — a price
  10. plane — a tool
  11. court — of law
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. court — of a king
  17. charge — in control
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. file — a tool
  20. ball — a dance
  21. court — for sport
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. file — a document

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