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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: perch · shower · temple · sharp · game · ruler · suit · face

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. game — wild animals
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. shower — rain
  12. face — to confront
  13. suit — in cards
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — a match
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. sharp — exactly

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