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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.

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: charge · pound · plane · land · temple · scale · stem · bowl

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. pound — a weight
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. land — ground
  8. scale — in music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. charge — a price
  17. scale — size or range
  18. land — to come down
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. land — a country
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. scale — for weighing
  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