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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
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: cold · spring · row · firm · fan · temple · rock · object

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. object — an aim
  5. firm — steady
  6. object — a thing
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cold — an illness
  10. row — a line
  11. spring — the season
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. spring — of water
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. object — to protest
  19. firm — a company
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. firm — decided
  24. fan — to cool the air

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