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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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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: board · toast · lie · bear · temple · key · wave · scale

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. toast — bread
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. key — the most important part
  14. board — a committee
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. key — in music
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. board — to get on
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lie — to recline
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. scale — for weighing

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