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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 · pound · bark · face · fork · bulb · calf · march

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. march — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fork — in a road
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. march — the month
  11. bark — to shout
  12. face — part of the head
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — a weight
  16. face — to confront
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. march — the month
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. face — to point toward
  24. fork — to eat with

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