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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: file · scale · temple · bowl · last · deal · kick · bass

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. scale — size or range
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. file — a document
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. last — to go on
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. scale — in music
  9. file — a line of people
  10. last — finally
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. last — final
  18. file — a tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. deal — to handle

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