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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: fork · current · board · stick · perch · nail · charge · press

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — happening now
  4. board — a committee
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. current — of water
  8. board — to get on
  9. charge — a price
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. current — electric
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. press — a publisher
  20. charge — in control
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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