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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: mine · mark · temple · stem · fork · track · fan · charge

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mine — for digging
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. charge — in control
  8. track — a path
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stem — to come from
  12. charge — a price
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. track — a song
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fork — in a road

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