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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: temple · drill · lie · sharp · ball · trunk · scale · club

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. sharp — clever
  7. lie — to recline
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. scale — size or range
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a great time
  13. club — for golf
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ball — a dance
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. drill — a practice

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