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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: bank · mate · drill · lash · fork · court · charge · trunk

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. drill — a practice
  6. court — of a king
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. charge — in control
  10. court — of law
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mate — to breed
  13. charge — electricity
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. court — for sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — army training
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lash — an eyelash

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