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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.

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: bark · pass · deal · rule · stock · straw · charge · track

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pass — a permit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rule — government
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. charge — a price
  15. rule — a law
  16. track — a path
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stock — goods
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. track — a song
  24. charge — in control

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