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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 · wake · bore · charge · firm · branch · field · pit

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. field — for sport
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. firm — a company
  6. bore — to tire
  7. branch — a division
  8. field — farmland
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pit — a hole
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. field — a subject
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. firm — decided
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fork — in a road
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — steady
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pit — in a race

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