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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: bear · kid · cue · charge · temple · lie · leaves · rock

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kid — child
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rock — music
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — in control
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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