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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
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. scale — in music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. field — farmland
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — size or range
  11. field — for sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. field — a subject
  19. present — a gift
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. clip — a video
  22. board — a committee
  23. can — to be able to
  24. present — there

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