ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

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: fall · stock · row · pass · lash · charge · date · lie

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. charge — in control
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fall — the season
  12. row — a line
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stock — shares
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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