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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: roll · sharp · scale · face · kid · season · stick · temple

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. face — to point toward
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kid — to tease
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. roll — a cake
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. face — part of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. face — to confront
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. season — of the year
  16. roll — a list
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kid — child
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — in sport
  21. scale — in music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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