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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 120 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: fork · temple · board · bowl · mark · squash · lean · ruler

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lean — thin
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bowl — a football final

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