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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: charge · file · stock · season · nail · cabinet · lie · hide

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. season — of the year
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stock — shares
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — goods
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. charge — a price
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — in sport
  17. charge — in control
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — electricity
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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