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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: hand · content · scale · bowl · bay · wake · temple · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. scale — in music
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. content — the amount
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. scale — size or range
  11. hand — in cards
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. foot — a measure
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. foot — the bottom

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