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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 · drill · present · face · perch · firm · charge · bowl

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. face — to confront
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. drill — the tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. firm — a company
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — steady
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — to point toward
  14. present — there
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fork — in a road
  17. firm — decided
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. drill — a practice
  20. present — the time now
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. charge — in control
  23. present — a gift
  24. perch — the fish

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