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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: bowl · lie · scale · temple · bulb · staff · roll · court

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. roll — a list
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. scale — in music
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — to recline
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a dish

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