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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: charge · rush · hand · staff · root · rash · board · stock

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. root — the cause
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. staff — employees
  9. stock — shares
  10. hand — help
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. hand — in cards
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stock — goods
  18. staff — a stick
  19. board — a committee
  20. rash — a series
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. root — of a word
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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