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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: foot · spell · cell · cap · temple · bowl · rule · pitcher

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. spell — letters
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — in biology
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rule — government
  18. spell — magic
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cap — a hat

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