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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: spell · scale · hand · temple · sharp · suit · bowl · bat

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. scale — in music
  5. spell — letters
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. spell — magic
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. sharp — clever
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. scale — size or range
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. spell — a short time
  24. temple — side of the head

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