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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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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: rule · charge · land · fork · object · temple · saw · toast

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. land — to come down
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. rule — government
  9. fork — in a road
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. object — a thing
  12. charge — electricity
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. land — a country
  15. saw — the tool
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. toast — bread
  20. land — ground
  21. rule — a law
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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