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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.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wound — an injury
  5. scale — in music
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — of a word
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to confront
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. root — the cause
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fine — all right
  20. rock — music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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