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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: key · temple · mouse · spring · scale · fork · mate · bay

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. fork — in a road
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mate — a friend
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mate — to breed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. scale — in music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. spring — of water
  24. scale — for weighing

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