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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: mate · mouse · bark · arm · net · drill · stick · charge

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. mate — to breed
  5. drill — army training
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. net — after costs
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a partner
  12. net — in sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. drill — the tool
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mate — a friend
  23. net — for catching
  24. arm — part of the body

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