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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · date · fork · bowl · charge · pitcher

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fork — in a road
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. date — the fruit

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