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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: track · stock · charge · fork · bark · patient · face · bass

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. track — a song
  3. bark — to shout
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. charge — electricity
  11. track — a path
  12. face — to confront
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stock — goods
  15. face — to point toward
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stock — shares
  20. bass — low music
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — to eat with

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