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

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. charge — electricity
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rule — a law
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — government
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. charge — a price
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. kick — in football

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