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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.

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: charge · content · plane · game · root · present · leaves · temple

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. content — happy
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. plane — a tool
  9. present — a gift
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — in control
  14. present — there
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — of a word
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. present — the time now
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. temple — side of the head

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