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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.

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: leaves · dip · content · scale · lie · mate · temple · firm

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. firm — steady
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. dip — to sink
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — in music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — decided
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — happy
  19. mate — a partner
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lie — to recline
  24. firm — a company

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