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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: staff · mark · stock · fork · leaves · roll · band · charge

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stock — goods
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. charge — a price
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. charge — in control
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. band — a music group
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mark — a grade
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mark — a trace
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stock — shares
  23. roll — a list
  24. band — a ring

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