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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
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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: chest · safe · pound · lie · arm · prune · stock · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stock — goods
  3. charge — in control
  4. lie — to recline
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stock — shares
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chest — of your body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. charge — a price
  21. pound — a weight
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lie — an untruth

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