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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. roll — a list
  6. hand — help
  7. row — to paddle
  8. club — for dancing
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rest — a break
  12. club — a group
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rest — what's left
  15. face — to confront
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. club — for golf
  19. rest — what's left
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pop — to visit
  22. row — a line
  23. hand — in cards
  24. roll — a cake

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