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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: bank · net · cell · charge · rest · temple · lean · bulb

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. lean — thin
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — what's left
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rest — a break
  12. net — in sport
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cell — in biology
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — for catching
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — a price
  24. bank — for money

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