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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
468
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: mine · fork · charge · wound · perch · craft · calf · ball

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mine — for digging
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. charge — a price
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fork — in a road
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. charge — in control
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a dance
  24. calf — a young animal

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