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

Word bank: row · bowl · temple · present · key · ruler

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. key — in music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. present — there
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. present — the time now
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. row — a line
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — a place of worship

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