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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.

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
YesNo
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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: temple · face · scale · land · vault · prune · fine · tube

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. scale — size or range
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. land — ground
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fine — high quality
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. land — to come down
  18. vault — a safe
  19. face — to confront
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. land — a country
  22. fine — all right
  23. face — to point toward
  24. prune — to trim

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