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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: bulb · row · wound · bowl · mate · temple · board · ruler

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mate — a friend
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mate — to breed
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. board — to get on
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bulb — for light
  16. row — a line
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. wound — an injury
  24. board — a flat piece

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