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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: saw · wake · bowl · ruler · charge · tube · mouse · temple

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. charge — electricity
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. tube — a container
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mouse — for a computer

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