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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: last · pass · scale · spring · temple · mug · foot · perch

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spring — of water
  3. last — final
  4. foot — a measure
  5. scale — in music
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mug — a face
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. spring — the season
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. perch — the fish
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. scale — size or range
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. last — to go on
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spring — a coil
  21. last — finally
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mug — to rob

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