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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bowl · hide · saw · temple · court · game · roll · rock

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. roll — a list
  4. court — of a king
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. court — of law
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rock — a stone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. saw — the tool
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. court — for sport
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. game — a match
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rock — music
  24. bowl — a dish

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