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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: present · leaves · net · temple · fall · charge · stick · dip

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fall — to drop
  3. present — a gift
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — in control
  6. net — in sport
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fall — the season
  9. charge — electricity
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. net — for catching
  13. present — the time now
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. charge — a price
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. net — after costs
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fall — to drop
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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