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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 120 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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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 · board · pound · charge · wake · degree · clip · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. clip — to cut
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. charge — in control
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. charge — electricity
  10. degree — from a university
  11. rest — a break
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. degree — temperature
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — a video
  21. degree — an amount
  22. wake — a trail
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — a price

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