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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fall — the season
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mark — a trace
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. charge — a price
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. charge — in control
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. racket — a loud noise

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