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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 120 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: temple · key · row · foot · rule · straw · racket · squash

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. squash — the sport
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. key — in music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rule — government
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rule — a law
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. foot — a measure
  19. key — the most important part
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. squash — to crush
  23. key — for a lock
  24. foot — the bottom

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