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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: bowl · club · charge · rule · bark · drill · temple · stick

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. rule — government
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rule — a law
  7. charge — a price
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. drill — a practice
  10. club — a group
  11. charge — in control
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. drill — army training
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. club — for golf
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  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