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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: craft · bore · scale · degree · staff · temple · bark · arm

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. scale — in music
  3. craft — boats
  4. scale — size or range
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bore — to drill
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. degree — temperature
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bark — to shout
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — from a university
  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