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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 116 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: face · wind · board · bulb · charge · drill · mine · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. face — to confront
  3. board — a committee
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — to get on
  8. drill — army training
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. face — part of the head
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bulb — for light
  14. drill — a practice
  15. charge — a price
  16. wind — moving air
  17. charge — in control
  18. mine — for digging
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mine — an explosive

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