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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: scale · cue · pass · tube · fine · content · temple · mine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. content — happy
  8. content — the amount
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tube — the underground
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. tube — a container
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — high quality
  18. scale — in music
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. scale — size or range
  24. cue — a signal

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