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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.

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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 · bark · rash · fan · temple · land · foot · branch

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. charge — in control
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rash — hasty
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. foot — a measure
  15. land — ground
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — a price
  19. branch — a division
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rash — a series
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bark — to shout
  24. branch — of a bank

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