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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
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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: scale · toast · fan · mine · plane · temple · stick · roll

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. scale — size or range
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. toast — bread
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — a tool
  17. roll — a list
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. roll — on a roll
  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