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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.

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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: temple · calf · charge · ruler · stock · deal · track · land

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. land — a country
  3. track — to keep track
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. track — a path
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stock — goods
  14. land — to come down
  15. charge — a price
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. land — ground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. track — a song
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. temple — a place of worship

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