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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: bound · charge · content · coach · temple · rush · track · lie

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. content — happy
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rush — hurry
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bound — obliged
  12. track — to keep track
  13. content — the amount
  14. charge — a price
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — certain
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bound — tied together

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