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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: nail · rash · lie · drill · bear · content · charge · mug

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mug — a face
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a cup
  9. charge — in control
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. drill — army training
  14. charge — a price
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. drill — the tool
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bear — the animal

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