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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: mark · scale · nail · fine · pop · temple · straw · mate

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pop — soda
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pop — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mark — a grade
  14. scale — in music
  15. mate — a friend
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. pop — to visit
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. scale — size or range
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. mark — a trace

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