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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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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. scale — size or range
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. court — of a king
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. scale — in music
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. court — of law
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. court — for sport
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — happy
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — to fit
  23. can — a tin
  24. scale — for weighing

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