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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 · key · bound · kid · band · bowl · temple · can

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — obliged
  3. band — a ring
  4. key — for a lock
  5. kid — to tease
  6. charge — in control
  7. can — a tin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. kid — child
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bound — certain
  13. charge — electricity
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. charge — a price
  21. band — a music group
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. can — to be able to

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