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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: fork · chair · calf · temple · charge · cue · land · bass

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. land — a country
  9. fork — in a road
  10. land — ground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. chair — a leader
  14. land — to come down
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. charge — a price
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cue — a signal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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