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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: temple · net · scale · pitch · rest · charge · bound · rock

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pitch — completely
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rest — a break
  5. net — for catching
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. net — in sport
  8. rest — what's left
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — in control
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rock — music
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bound — obliged
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bound — certain
  23. scale — in music
  24. net — after costs

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