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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: capital · staff · fork · charge · club · bank · drill · vault

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. drill — army training
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. club — a group
  7. charge — a price
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. capital — money
  13. staff — employees
  14. bank — for money
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bank — for money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. club — for golf
  20. capital — a city
  21. staff — employees
  22. drill — a practice
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bank — of a river

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