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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.

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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: kick · hide · temple · pop · mug · fall · object · charge

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. mug — a face
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — a price
  7. pop — music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fall — the season
  10. kick — in football
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mug — to rob
  14. charge — electricity
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mug — a cup
  17. charge — in control
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pop — to visit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pop — soda
  24. object — an aim

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