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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bore · temple · season · lie · pop · scale · spell · bound

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bound — certain
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. spell — a short time
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pop — soda
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. spell — letters
  12. scale — in music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. season — of the year
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — magic
  20. season — in sport
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pop — to visit
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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