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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: bark · charge · stick · stem · firm · plane · fork · file

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stem — to come from
  6. file — a line of people
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. firm — decided
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. charge — in control
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bark — to shout
  16. charge — a price
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. file — a tool
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. firm — steady
  24. file — a document

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