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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 120 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: board · swing · fork · sharp · mark · charge · kid · suit

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. charge — a price
  4. swing — music
  5. kid — to tease
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — a committee
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mark — a grade
  10. sharp — clever
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. kid — child
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. charge — electricity
  24. swing — in golf

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