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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.

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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 · cold · ruler · bay · charge · temple · march · date

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. march — the month
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. march — music
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cold — an illness
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. charge — a price
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cold — not warm

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