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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · scale · temple · bass · current · rest · lash · march

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. current — happening now
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bass — the fish
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. current — electric
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. march — the month
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. march — the month
  17. scale — in music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rest — a break
  21. march — music
  22. bass — low music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. current — of water

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