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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: roll · ball · stem · bore · club · pop · charge · squash

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. club — a group
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — a price
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pop — music
  7. club — for dancing
  8. charge — in control
  9. pop — soda
  10. bore — to tire
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stem — to come from
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pop — to visit
  20. roll — a list
  21. squash — the sport
  22. ball — a great time
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. club — for golf

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