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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: mate · shower · stock · temple · capital · charge · pit · lie

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stock — goods
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. shower — to wash
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. shower — rain
  9. charge — a price
  10. capital — money
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mate — to breed
  15. lie — to recline
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pit — a hole
  18. capital — a city
  19. mate — a friend
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — in control
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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