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

Word bank: bowl · temple · suit · charge · racket · band

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. suit — clothes
  5. band — a ring
  6. charge — a price
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — to fit
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a music group
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — electricity
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — in cards
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. charge — in control
  18. bowl — a football final

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