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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · scale · temple · object · bay · race

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. club — for golf
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. club — a group
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. scale — size or range
  7. object — a thing
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. object — to protest
  11. race — a contest
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. object — an aim
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. club — for dancing
  18. race — humankind

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