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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: suit · fork · pound · plane · tube · rash · ground · charge

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rash — a series
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. suit — clothes
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. tube — the underground
  21. suit — in cards
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pound — a weight
  24. charge — in control

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