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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. spell — magic
  3. swing — music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. scale — size or range
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bark — to shout
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. spell — letters
  20. scale — in music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. temple — side of the head

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