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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. suit — in cards
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. spell — magic
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. scale — in music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. scale — size or range
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mine — for digging
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. spell — letters

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