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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: lie · track · bulb · last · cue · charge · ruler · temple

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. charge — a price
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. track — a song
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. charge — in control
  16. cue — for pool
  17. last — to go on
  18. track — a path
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — a hint

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