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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: leaves · bark · stock · mine · file · charge · object · stand

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. file — a line of people
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. file — a tool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. object — a thing
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mine — for digging
  17. charge — a price
  18. stock — shares
  19. object — an aim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a document
  22. stock — goods
  23. charge — in control
  24. object — to protest

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