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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: hand · fork · scale · board · bear · pop · cap · temple

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. board — a committee
  9. cap — of ice
  10. board — to get on
  11. pop — music
  12. hand — in cards
  13. scale — in music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hand — help
  19. bear — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pop — soda
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hand — part of the body

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