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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 120 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: pop · lie · kid · charge · firm · temple · bulb · arm

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. charge — electricity
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. kid — to tease
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pop — soda
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. firm — decided
  11. charge — a price
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pop — music
  14. charge — in control
  15. kid — child
  16. lie — to recline
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — steady
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pop — to visit
  24. firm — a company

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