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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 · temple · bear · bulb · can · track · cold · charge

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lie — to recline
  3. track — a song
  4. charge — a price
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cold — an illness
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cold — not warm
  19. bear — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — in control

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