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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 120 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: temple · plane · charge · scale · racket · cold · ball · fork

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. scale — in music
  3. cold — an illness
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — in control
  11. cold — not warm
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ball — a great time
  17. charge — electricity
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fork — in a road
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cold — the Cold War

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