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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 116 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: charge · lie · lean · file · stand · fall · bore · rock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — in control
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — a price
  13. stand — to bear
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rock — music
  19. file — a document
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fall — the season
  24. bore — to tire

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