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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 · suit · bark · march · temple · toast · kick · nail

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. toast — bread
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. march — the month
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. bark — to shout
  19. march — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. charge — electricity

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