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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.

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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: drill · scale · prune · can · cabinet · fan · spell · temple

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spell — letters
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — in music
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — to be able to
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. prune — to trim
  17. drill — a practice
  18. scale — size or range
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. spell — magic
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — army training

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