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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: temple · deal · present · toast · trunk · chair · scale · bound

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. scale — in music
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. chair — a leader
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — certain
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bound — tied together
  18. present — there
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bound — obliged
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. deal — a big deal

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