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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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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: present · bowl · drill · temple · deal · charge

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. present — there
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. drill — army training
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. present — a gift
  10. charge — in control
  11. deal — to handle
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — the time now
  16. drill — the tool
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price

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