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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: arm · suit · root · season · net · cue · temple · scale

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. net — after costs
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cue — for pool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cue — a hint
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. net — in sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. scale — in music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — size or range
  20. suit — in cards
  21. season — in sport
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. season — of the year
  24. net — for catching

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