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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: charge · stock · file · plane · game · lie · fine · rock

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fine — all right
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — music
  8. game — a match
  9. file — a document
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stock — goods
  13. lie — to recline
  14. plane — a tool
  15. game — wild animals
  16. charge — a price
  17. file — a tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — in control
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stock — shares

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