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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. file — a document
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. file — a tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fall — the season
  18. 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