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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
468
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: bass · temple · bark · key · sharp · charge

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — to shout
  8. sharp — clever
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. key — the most important part
  16. charge — in control
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bark — of a tree

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