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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: land · foot · temple · charge · mouse · race · lie · tube

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. tube — a container
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. land — ground
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. tube — the underground
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — in control
  11. race — a contest
  12. foot — a measure
  13. land — a country
  14. race — humankind
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. foot — the bottom

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