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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. firm — a company
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. spring — the season
  8. wax — to grow
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — a price
  11. firm — steady
  12. roll — a list
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. band — a ring
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lie — to recline
  17. charge — electricity
  18. firm — decided
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spring — of water
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spring — a coil
  24. charge — in control

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