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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
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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 · hide · fan · degree · rock · jam · temple · wax

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. charge — in control
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rock — music
  6. degree — from a university
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wax — to grow
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. degree — an amount
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. degree — temperature
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. charge — a price
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rock — to move gently

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