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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: temple · spell · scale · capital · game · present · deal · lie

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. spell — letters
  4. lie — to recline
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. present — there
  9. spell — a short time
  10. deal — to handle
  11. game — a match
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. game — wild animals
  15. scale — in music
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — a city
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. scale — size or range
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. capital — money
  23. spell — magic
  24. temple — a place of worship

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