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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: arm · ball · bank · sharp · stand · pop · charge · bark

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pop — soda
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — to visit
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pop — music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. charge — in control
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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