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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: fine · cell · row · wake · cabinet · temple · swing · roll

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cell — a phone
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. fine — all right
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. roll — a list
  19. fine — high quality
  20. row — to paddle
  21. roll — a cake
  22. row — a line
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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