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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: suit · fall · firm · charge · bark · bore · current · coach

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bore — to tire
  3. charge — in control
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — in cards
  10. current — happening now
  11. charge — a price
  12. current — of water
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. firm — steady
  24. current — electric

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