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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: temple · lash · board · land · band · mark · current · charge

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. charge — a price
  3. current — electric
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — ground
  10. charge — electricity
  11. board — a committee
  12. mark — a grade
  13. land — to come down
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. land — a country
  16. current — of water
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. current — happening now
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. charge — in control
  22. band — a music group
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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