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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · temple · bark · wave · charge · fan · rule · bowl

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rule — government
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. net — for catching
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. charge — a price
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rule — a law
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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