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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — a line
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — in cards
  5. roll — a cake
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — for money
  11. lie — to recline
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bank — of a river
  23. roll — a list
  24. row — to paddle

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