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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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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: board · prune · calf · fork · racket · stick · drill · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — army training
  5. fork — in a road
  6. board — to get on
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a committee
  11. drill — a practice
  12. charge — in control
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. charge — electricity
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — to trim
  23. drill — the tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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