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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.

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: fine · bark · charge · temple · bat · deal · press · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. press — to push
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. charge — a price
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. charge — in control
  12. fine — all right
  13. bark — to shout
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cap — of ice
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. cap — a hat

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