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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.

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 · lie · leaves · rock · stick · staff · land · bark

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. land — to come down
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. staff — employees
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. staff — employees
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — music
  13. charge — in control
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lie — to recline
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. land — a country
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. land — ground

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