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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: squash · degree · march · lie · bay · temple · roll · spell

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. degree — from a university
  4. spell — magic
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. roll — a list
  10. march — music
  11. squash — the sport
  12. degree — an amount
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. roll — a cake
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spell — a short time
  20. march — the month
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spell — letters
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. degree — temperature

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