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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: cell · ruler · stock · lie · straw · board · charge · spell

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cell — a phone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stock — shares
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. spell — letters
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. board — a committee
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. spell — magic
  23. lie — to recline
  24. board — to get on

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