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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: spell · fine · trunk · track · bay · scale · temple · snap

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. track — a path
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. fine — all right
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spell — magic
  8. track — a song
  9. fine — high quality
  10. scale — size or range
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. spell — letters
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. track — to keep track
  16. snap — to click
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spell — a short time
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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