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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: rock · file · charge · bark · stock · straw

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stock — goods
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stock — shares
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. file — a document
  8. rock — music
  9. charge — in control
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rock — a stone
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. file — a tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. 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