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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: land · temple · scale · rash · jam · stand · dip · present

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — a country
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. present — there
  6. land — ground
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — size or range
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. present — the time now
  16. land — to come down
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stand — to bear
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. scale — in music

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