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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
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: scale · bear · leaves · plane · temple · shower · rest · drill

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. drill — army training
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. drill — a practice
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — to wash
  10. plane — a tool
  11. drill — the tool
  12. scale — in music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rest — a break
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rest — what's left

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