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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.

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: band · temple · ball · coach · scale · club · key · bass

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a great time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — size or range
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. band — a ring
  11. ball — a dance
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. band — a music group
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bass — the fish
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. scale — in music
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — a group
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. club — for dancing

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