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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: drill · stock · lie · dip · charge · season · cell · pass

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. season — in sport
  4. stock — goods
  5. drill — the tool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. charge — a price
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. season — of the year
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cell — in biology
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cell — a phone
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stock — shares
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pass — a permit

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