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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
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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 · bowl · arm · wax · scale · lean · court · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. court — of law
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lean — thin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. court — for sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. court — of a king
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. shower — to wash
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. temple — side of the head

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