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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: hand · key · stem · wax · game · march · charge · temple

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. charge — in control
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. march — the month
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. charge — electricity
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. march — the month
  12. stem — to come from
  13. game — a match
  14. hand — help
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. game — wild animals
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wax — to grow
  22. march — music
  23. key — in music
  24. game — a kind of play

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