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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
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: scale · foot · net · saw · cap · mate · temple · trunk

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. scale — in music
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. net — after costs
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mate — a friend
  12. saw — the tool
  13. foot — a measure
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. net — for catching
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. scale — size or range
  19. net — in sport
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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