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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: scale · bank · charge · rest · stick · temple · fork · deal

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bank — for money
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rest — what's left
  14. scale — in music
  15. bank — for money
  16. scale — size or range
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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