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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: cell · scale · prune · can · temple · rash · board · row

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rash — hasty
  3. prune — to trim
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rash — a series
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. can — to be able to
  12. row — to paddle
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. scale — in music
  15. board — a committee
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. row — a line
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cell — a phone
  20. board — to get on
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. can — a tin
  24. temple — a place of worship

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