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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.

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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. scale — in music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rest — what's left
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rest — a break
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. chip — for betting
  16. scale — size or range
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. temple — side of the head

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