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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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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: present · temple · scale · perch · kick · shower · bay · row

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. shower — rain
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. row — to paddle
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. present — the time now
  7. row — a line
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. scale — in music
  11. shower — to wash
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. scale — size or range
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. present — there
  24. temple — side of the head

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