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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
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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: rest · mine · ruler · temple · fan · can · scale · net

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. net — after costs
  15. mine — for digging
  16. net — for catching
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — in sport
  21. scale — size or range
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rest — a break

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