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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.

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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: net · fork · temple · ball · kick · last · charge · tear

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. kick — in football
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. net — after costs
  8. charge — electricity
  9. net — in sport
  10. last — finally
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. tear — to rip
  15. net — for catching
  16. last — final
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. tear — from crying
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. last — to go on
  24. ball — a dance

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