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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: row · cell · temple · chest · saw · stand · roll · ruler

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — in biology
  6. row — a line
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — to paddle
  9. roll — a cake
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chest — a box
  14. cell — a phone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. saw — the tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. roll — a list
  19. stand — to bear
  20. saw — the tool
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chest — of your body

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