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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: stock · cell · fine · fall · calf · lie · board · pass

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cell — a phone
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fall — the season
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — a committee
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cell — in biology
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stock — shares
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fine — all right
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. board — to get on

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