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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: cap · rule · chair · shower · charge · temple

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. shower — to wash
  4. charge — a price
  5. rule — government
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chair — a leader
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — in control
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. charge — electricity
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — rain
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chair — to sit on

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