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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: arm · stick · drill · stock · charge · lie · mark · chair

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. charge — a price
  9. stock — shares
  10. mark — a trace
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — army training
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — electricity
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. charge — in control
  21. stock — goods
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stock — a soup base

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