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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 120 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: leaves · charge · hand · stick · face · stock · last · root

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — the cause
  6. last — to go on
  7. root — of a word
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. hand — in cards
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. last — finally
  15. charge — a price
  16. stock — goods
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. last — final
  20. charge — in control
  21. hand — help
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. face — part of the head
  24. leaves — of a tree

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