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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: roll · spell · bear · temple · lie · lean · perch · shower

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spell — magic
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spell — a short time
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. shower — rain
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spell — letters
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — thin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. shower — to wash

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