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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: game · tube · charge · stock · mouse · ruler · bark · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bark — to shout
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. charge — a price
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. game — a match
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. charge — in control
  24. mouse — the animal

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