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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: plane · lie · fork · court · charge · trunk · mouse · bank

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. court — for sport
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bank — for money
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. court — of law
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. charge — a price
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bank — of a river
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. court — of a king
  24. lie — to recline

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