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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 · bowl · temple · present · key · ruler · cold · perch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. present — the time now
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. present — there
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. key — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. present — a gift
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. temple — a place of worship

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