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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 · club · bear · suit · charge · bay · pitcher · bowl

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. fork — in a road
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. suit — in cards
  20. charge — a price
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. club — a group
  23. charge — in control
  24. pitcher — a jug

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