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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: season · can · scale · temple · stand · rush · game · row

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. scale — in music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. season — of the year
  6. scale — size or range
  7. game — wild animals
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. row — a line
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rush — hurry
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. game — a match
  22. can — a tin
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. can — a tin

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