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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: mark · bank · mine · fork · lie · charge · ball · present

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mine — for digging
  4. present — there
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — for money
  9. charge — a price
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fork — in a road
  14. present — the time now
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. ball — a great time
  19. charge — in control
  20. bank — of a river
  21. present — a gift
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mark — a grade

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