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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: hide · fine · charge · temple · roll · tube · chair · ball

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. charge — in control
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — a price
  6. tube — the underground
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. roll — a cake
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. tube — a container
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ball — a dance
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. roll — a list
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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