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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: charge · temple · shower · key · mouse · can · bank · pitcher

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bank — of a river
  16. can — to be able to
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. shower — rain
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — for money
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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