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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: shower · temple · cabinet · scale · mate · bay · march · firm

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. shower — to wash
  3. mate — to breed
  4. march — music
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. firm — steady
  8. mate — a partner
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mate — a friend

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