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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 120 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 · season · bulb · suit · plane · wind · temple · mug

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mug — a cup
  7. charge — in control
  8. mug — a face
  9. wind — moving air
  10. charge — electricity
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. charge — a price
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. season — of the year
  16. suit — clothes
  17. season — in sport
  18. mug — to rob
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. suit — to fit
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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