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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 120 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: pit · staff · temple · game · dip · charge · plane · march

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pit — in a race
  3. march — music
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. staff — a stick
  7. march — the month
  8. charge — a price
  9. staff — employees
  10. march — the month
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. game — a match
  14. pit — a hole
  15. plane — a tool
  16. game — wild animals
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to sink
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — electricity
  24. plane — an aircraft

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