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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · temple · trunk · row · plane · key · bat · cabinet

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. charge — electricity
  4. row — a line
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. charge — a price
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. key — the most important part
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. charge — in control
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bat — the animal
  20. key — in music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. plane — a tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bat — in an idiom

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