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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: can · scale · foot · wake · saw · drill · temple · pound

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pound — a weight
  7. drill — army training
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. can — to be able to
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. scale — size or range
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. drill — the tool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. foot — a measure
  23. can — a tin
  24. wake — a trail

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