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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: temple · bowl · can · charge · vault · toast · bore · racket

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — a safe
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — in control
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. toast — bread

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