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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: bowl · tear · charge · bear · fine · rock · mate · lie

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mate — to breed
  4. charge — a price
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tear — to rip
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — a friend
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fine — all right
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mate — a partner
  22. charge — in control
  23. rock — music
  24. fine — high quality

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