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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: tube · temple · stand · rash · can · charge · ball · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — a container
  9. rash — a series
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — ground
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. tube — the underground
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — to bear

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