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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 120 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
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: rash · staff · scale · spring · temple · hide · spell · kid

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. scale — in music
  3. spring — the season
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kid — to tease
  6. spell — magic
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — size or range
  14. spell — a short time
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kid — child
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spell — letters
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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