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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: charge · plane · wave · row · cell · temple

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cell — a phone
  4. row — a line
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cell — in biology
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. charge — a price
  14. row — to paddle
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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