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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.

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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: charge · stock · lie · bark · cap · cue · club · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bark — to shout
  7. cue — a hint
  8. charge — in control
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — a lid
  19. charge — a price
  20. lie — to recline
  21. club — a group
  22. stock — shares
  23. club — for golf
  24. stock — goods

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