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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: mark · charge · calf · club · bark · staff · toast · pound

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. club — for dancing
  3. staff — employees
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. club — a group
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mark — a grade
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. club — for golf
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bark — to shout
  17. toast — bread
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. staff — a stick
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. charge — in control
  24. pound — to hit hard

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