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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: stock · rule · rash · stand · board · file · perch · bark

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. file — a tool
  5. stock — goods
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. board — to get on
  11. rash — hasty
  12. board — a committee
  13. file — a document
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. rash — a series
  21. stock — shares
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bark — to shout

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