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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: key · saw · stick · temple · game · rush · trunk · charge

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. charge — in control
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — a match
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. key — for a lock
  16. game — wild animals
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — in music
  21. charge — a price
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rush — hurry
  24. key — the most important part

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