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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: last · drill · straw · content · date · deal · temple · charge

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. content — the amount
  12. drill — the tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. last — finally
  17. content — happy
  18. date — the fruit
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. last — to go on
  21. deal — to handle
  22. last — final
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. drill — a practice

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