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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: charge · can · hand · arm · cell · plane · degree · temple

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. can — to be able to
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. degree — an amount
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. degree — from a university
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. charge — a price
  11. can — a tin
  12. degree — temperature
  13. charge — in control
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. hand — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cell — a phone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. hand — help
  24. cell — in biology

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