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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. last — finally
  5. lean — thin
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lean — to bend
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. board — to get on
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. board — a committee
  15. cap — a lid
  16. last — final
  17. cap — a hat
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. last — to go on
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. scale — in music
  24. cap — of ice

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