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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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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 · field · pit · toast · club · rule · firm · root

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. club — for dancing
  3. field — for sport
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. root — of a word
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — a hole
  8. club — a group
  9. rule — government
  10. charge — a price
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — steady
  14. field — farmland
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — a company
  18. toast — bread
  19. root — the cause
  20. rule — a law
  21. root — of a plant
  22. club — for golf
  23. firm — decided
  24. toast — the most admired

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