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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: temple · saw · mug · pop · charge · rest · spell · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rest — a break
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pop — music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pop — soda
  8. spell — magic
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mug — a face
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. charge — a price
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. charge — electricity
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — a series
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — in control

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