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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: squash · rest · scale · mark · fork · temple · season · chip

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mark — a trace
  4. scale — size or range
  5. season — of the year
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rest — a break
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mark — a grade
  10. squash — the sport
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. chip — to eat
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rest — what's left
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chip — for betting
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. scale — in music
  23. season — in sport
  24. fork — to eat with

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