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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mine — for digging
  3. track — a song
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. drill — the tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. track — a path
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wound — an injury
  12. drill — army training
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. scale — in music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. drill — a practice
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wound — an injury
  24. temple — a place of worship

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