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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: staff · rule · saw · fan · bark · cabinet · charge · stock

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. charge — a price
  5. rule — government
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rule — a law
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bark — to shout
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stock — shares
  19. staff — a stick
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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