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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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Word bank
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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: perch · roll · temple · arm · row · bore · face · chip

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. row — a line
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. roll — a cake
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. row — to paddle
  9. face — to point toward
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bore — to drill
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. perch — the fish
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bore — to tire
  22. roll — a list
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. 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