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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: scale · jam · chair · net · safe · mine · foot · temple

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. foot — a measure
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chair — a leader
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. net — in sport
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — after costs
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. net — for catching
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. temple — side of the head

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