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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.

Make a worksheet

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: charge · bark · stock · rule · arm · key · wound · squash

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bark — to shout
  4. wound — an injury
  5. squash — to crush
  6. charge — in control
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stock — shares
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. wound — an injury
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stock — goods
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — in music
  24. arm — a part of something

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