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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.

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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: bulb · bound · game · scale · temple · race · ball · charge

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. race — a contest
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — in control
  7. scale — in music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — a match
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bound — obliged
  14. game — wild animals
  15. race — the arms race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bound — tied together
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. race — humankind
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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