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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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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: toast · suit · temple · fall · vault · scale · nail · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fall — to drop
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fall — to drop
  11. scale — size or range
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — the season
  14. bat — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. scale — in music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. suit — clothes

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