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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bat · row · scale · object · hide · temple · spell · ruler

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — magic
  9. bat — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. scale — in music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. scale — size or range
  15. spell — a short time
  16. row — to paddle
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. object — to protest
  20. row — a line
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. spell — letters
  24. ruler — a monarch

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