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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: kick · stick · ruler · drill · rash · charge · stem · stock

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stock — goods
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rash — a series
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rash — hasty
  11. charge — electricity
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. charge — a price
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stock — shares

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