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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: bear · charge · band · vault · root · club · mark · deal

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. band — a music group
  6. root — of a word
  7. club — for golf
  8. mark — a grade
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mark — a trace
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. band — a ring
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. charge — in control
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. club — a group

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