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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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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: rash · bowl · club · kick · temple · charge · root · net

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — a series
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. net — after costs
  7. club — a group
  8. rash — hasty
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. net — for catching
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. root — of a plant
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — the cause
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. net — in sport
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. kick — with a leg

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