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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
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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: sharp · fork · press · bound · perch · cue · charge · clip

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fork — in a road
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. charge — a price
  7. cue — a hint
  8. clip — for paper
  9. press — newspapers
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — a signal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. clip — to cut
  15. charge — in control
  16. bound — certain
  17. clip — a video
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. perch — the fish
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cue — for pool
  24. press — to push

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