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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.

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: cap · season · charge · temple · mine · rock · bay · ground

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — for digging
  5. charge — in control
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ground — the earth
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — music
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ground — a position
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ground — crushed

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