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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: wake · can · temple · degree · row · kick · charge · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wake — a trail
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. row — to paddle
  6. can — a tin
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — a price
  13. can — to be able to
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — in football
  16. degree — from a university
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  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