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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. current — of water
  4. bound — obliged
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cap — a hat
  7. row — to paddle
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. drill — the tool
  11. current — happening now
  12. drill — army training
  13. bound — tied together
  14. roll — a cake
  15. row — a line
  16. current — electric
  17. cap — of ice
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bound — certain
  24. roll — a list

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