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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: charge · fan · rash · can · chair · deal · prune · fork

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. chair — a leader
  8. charge — in control
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rash — a series
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fork — in a road

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