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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: charge · fork · court · bore · trunk · suit · safe · perch

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. court — for sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. court — of a king
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bore — to tire
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. charge — in control
  16. court — of law
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — a price
  19. suit — clothes
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fork — in a road

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