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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: calf · foot · board · degree · temple · pitcher · wound · charge

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. charge — in control
  3. wound — an injury
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — a price
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. board — to get on
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. degree — temperature
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. charge — electricity
  20. degree — from a university
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pitcher — a jug

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