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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 · sharp · nail · pop · cabinet · chip · scale · bank

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pop — soda
  9. chip — for betting
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — to visit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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