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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: temple · scale · fall · root · lash · rush · charge · coach

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. root — of a word
  4. fall — the season
  5. root — the cause
  6. scale — in music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. charge — a price
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fall — to drop
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. root — of a plant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — size or range
  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