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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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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 · lash · wave · club · cap · temple · rule · can

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. can — a tin
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. charge — in control
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cap — of ice
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rule — a law
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. charge — a price
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rule — government
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — a hat
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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