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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: mouse · stick · sharp · temple · perch · wound · board · scale

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. board — to get on
  8. perch — the fish
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. scale — in music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wound — an injury
  18. scale — size or range
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — a committee
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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