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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: charge · fan · bark · temple · snap · staff · face · press

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. staff — employees
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. face — to confront
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. charge — in control
  15. press — to push
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. snap — to click
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. press — a publisher
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bark — to shout
  22. press — newspapers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bark — of a tree

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