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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: club · squash · spell · mark · bark · nail · band · charge

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. spell — letters
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. band — a ring
  8. charge — in control
  9. bark — to shout
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mark — a grade
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. club — for golf
  14. spell — a short time
  15. club — a group
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. squash — to crush
  18. charge — a price
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — a trace
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. charge — electricity

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