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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: bark · content · fork · stem · charge · wound · date · rest

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bark — to shout
  3. content — the amount
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rest — what's left
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — in control
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rest — a break
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. content — happy
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. charge — a price

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