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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.

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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: charge · bowl · lie · season · tube · ground · sharp · ruler

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. charge — a price
  11. season — of the year
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ground — crushed
  20. tube — a container
  21. season — in sport
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. charge — electricity
  24. sharp — with an edge

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