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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: prune · bay · foot · lie · chip · scale · temple · content

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lie — to recline
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. scale — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — for betting
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. content — happy
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — the amount
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chip — to eat
  24. content — videos and posts

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