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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 120 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
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: content · ball · charge · temple · lie · mate · tube · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lean — thin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lie — to recline
  7. content — the amount
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lean — to bend
  11. charge — electricity
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mate — a partner
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tube — a container
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. tube — the underground
  21. content — happy
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — in a tire

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