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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.

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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 · track · scale · temple · foot · cabinet · rock · club

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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. club — for golf
  4. rock — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a song
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. club — for dancing
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rock — a stone
  14. land — ground
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. club — a group
  19. land — a country
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — to come down
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. track — a path

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