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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: pit · ground · bark · nail · club · lean · rash · charge

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. club — a group
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ground — a position
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. charge — in control
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rash — hasty
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ground — crushed
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lean — thin
  19. bark — to shout
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pit — a hole
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lean — to bend
  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