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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
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: face · pitcher · plane · last · temple · charge · squash · lie

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — a tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. face — to confront
  11. lie — to recline
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — in control
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. charge — electricity
  18. last — final
  19. charge — a price
  20. face — to point toward
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. temple — side of the head

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