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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: temple · lie · board · stick · charge · ground · rush · squash

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. squash — to crush
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. board — to get on
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. charge — a price
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ground — a position
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ground — crushed
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — hurry
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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