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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: bark · ball · charge · cue · net · pop · march · stand

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. march — the month
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. ball — a dance
  13. net — in sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — a price
  16. cue — a signal
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. stand — to bear
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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