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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: mug · patient · charge · stock · ground · track · bay · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. track — a path
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. stock — goods
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. track — a song
  14. ground — crushed
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ground — a position
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stock — shares
  21. rule — a law
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ground — the earth

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