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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 · charge · deal · temple · firm · march · mate · stock

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lie — to recline
  4. firm — steady
  5. march — the month
  6. mate — a friend
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — electricity
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stock — goods
  11. march — the month
  12. stock — shares
  13. charge — a price
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. charge — in control
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mate — to breed
  18. march — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — a company
  24. mate — a partner

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