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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.

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: content · temple · stand · fall · mouse · charge · bat · net

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fall — the season
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fall — to drop
  5. charge — a price
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bat — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. net — for catching
  12. charge — in control
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. content — happy
  16. net — in sport
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. net — after costs
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mouse — for a computer

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