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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: pop · present · content · jam · charge · trunk · lean · temple

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pop — soda
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. charge — in control
  8. pop — to visit
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lean — thin
  11. charge — a price
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pop — music
  15. present — there
  16. content — the amount
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. lean — to bend
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — the time now
  21. content — happy
  22. charge — electricity
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. trunk — of a tree

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