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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · root · rule · fine · chair · squash · bark · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. root — of a word
  3. bark — to shout
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rule — a law
  6. chair — a leader
  7. root — the cause
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — in control
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rule — government
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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