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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: temple · lie · board · cold · content · vault · current · can

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. content — happy
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — of water
  6. content — the amount
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — to get on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cold — not warm
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. lie — to recline
  15. can — a tin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. current — electric
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — happening now
  24. cold — an illness

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