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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 120 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: cell · bulb · stock · lie · deal · charge · press · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lie — to recline
  3. press — to push
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cell — a phone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stock — shares
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. charge — in control
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stock — goods

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