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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 116 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: craft · charge · stick · club · pop · bark · tube · bay

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. club — for golf
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. tube — a container
  7. craft — boats
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pop — soda
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. charge — a price

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