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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: content · hide · face · band · roll · mark · charge · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mark — a grade
  4. face — to confront
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — to point toward
  11. content — happy
  12. band — a ring
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. roll — a list
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — a trace
  21. face — part of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. temple — a place of worship

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