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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · bank · bay · pass · date · season · scale · arm

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pass — a permit
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bank — for money
  7. season — of the year
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — in music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — of a river
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. season — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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