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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wound · temple · fall · saw · ball · board · charge · rock

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — a committee
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — electricity
  9. board — to get on
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fall — the season
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. charge — a price
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rock — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ball — a great time
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — in control

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