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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.

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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: suit · key · stand · march · drill · scale · temple · rush

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. key — the most important part
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. scale — in music
  7. stand — to bear
  8. suit — to fit
  9. march — the month
  10. suit — in cards
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. march — music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. march — the month
  24. temple — a place of worship

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