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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: bore · roll · row · cabinet · chair · lash · fork · temple

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fork — in a road
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. roll — a list
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. row — to paddle
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. chair — a leader
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bore — to tire
  20. row — a line
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. roll — a cake

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