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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.

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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. root — of a plant
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. root — of a word
  11. kick — in football
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. tube — a container
  20. bass — the fish
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rush — hurry
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. root — the cause

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