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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: charge · temple · cap · land · mouse · board · lie · ruler

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. land — ground
  3. board — a committee
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — of ice
  10. land — to come down
  11. cap — a hat
  12. land — a country
  13. charge — a price
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. board — to get on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cap — a lid
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — 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