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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.

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: bass · bowl · trunk · temple · mouse · straw · row · roll

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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 — a quarrel
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bass — low music
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. roll — a list
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. row — a line
  16. bass — the fish
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. roll — a cake
  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