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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.

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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: sharp · scale · bore · jam · club · temple · hand · rush

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rush — hurry
  4. club — a group
  5. scale — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — for golf
  8. bore — to tire
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. hand — help
  13. bore — to drill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. hand — in cards
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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