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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: march · rule · charge · temple · plane · pound · ball · degree

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rule — government
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. charge — a price
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. march — the month
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. pound — a weight
  21. degree — an amount
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. degree — from a university
  24. ball — a great time

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