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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · stock · wind · hide · shower · leaves · charge · wave

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — a price
  4. wind — moving air
  5. shower — to wash
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. shower — rain
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wind — moving air
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. stock — goods
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stock — shares

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