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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.

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: leaves · object · charge · wake · sharp · cold · mouse · temple

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — a trail
  12. object — a thing
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — to protest
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cold — an illness
  19. object — an aim
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cold — not warm
  23. charge — in control
  24. leaves — lets stay

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