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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: temple · cue · can · scale · cabinet · perch · firm · field

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. scale — in music
  5. field — for sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — a tin
  10. field — a subject
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. firm — steady
  18. field — farmland
  19. cue — a hint
  20. scale — size or range
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — to be able 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