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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 120 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
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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: bulb · land · fork · mark · chair · scale · club · temple

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. land — to come down
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. land — ground
  9. club — a group
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chair — a leader
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bulb — for light
  21. club — for dancing
  22. land — a country
  23. club — for golf
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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