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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: fan · bowl · chest · lie · bulb · charge · bass · kick

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kick — in football
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lie — to recline
  6. charge — in control
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — a price
  13. chest — a box
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the fish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bowl — a dish

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