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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cap · scale · march · charge · lean · temple · wave · plane

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. march — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. scale — in music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. march — the month
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. march — the month
  20. cap — of ice
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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