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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: mug · pitch · row · temple · rest · shower · fan · pound

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rest — what's left
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. row — a line
  8. mug — a face
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mug — a cup
  18. shower — rain
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sports field

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