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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: fork · scale · can · temple · content · deal · bowl · arm

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. scale — size or range
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. content — happy
  5. scale — in music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. content — the amount
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fork — in a road
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. can — a tin

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