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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: row · present · nail · kick · shower · temple · fan · spell

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. shower — to wash
  4. spell — a short time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. present — the time now
  10. kick — in football
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. present — a gift
  20. shower — rain
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — there
  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