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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: staff · cell · row · temple · object · cap · ruler · wind

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. object — an aim
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cap — a hat
  11. staff — a stick
  12. cap — of ice
  13. object — a thing
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cap — a lid
  24. object — to protest

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