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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: rush · spring · cap · charge · bulb · temple · mate · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. charge — in control
  4. mate — a friend
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. spring — the season
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rush — hurry
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. charge — a price
  21. bulb — for light
  22. spring — of water
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cap — of ice

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