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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: charge · bound · scale · stick · temple · board · cue · chest

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. chest — of your body
  3. scale — in music
  4. board — a committee
  5. chest — of your body
  6. board — to get on
  7. bound — tied together
  8. charge — a price
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chest — a box
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bound — obliged
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. charge — electricity
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — size or range
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bound — certain
  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