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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: stock · row · bulb · charge · bay · fall · staff · lie

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. staff — employees
  5. charge — in control
  6. stock — shares
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. row — a line
  9. fall — to drop
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stock — goods
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — employees
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fall — the season
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. staff — a stick

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