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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — a tin
  4. file — a document
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. file — a tool
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. staff — employees
  12. mate — a partner
  13. root — the cause
  14. mate — to breed
  15. file — a line of people
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mate — a friend
  19. staff — a stick
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. root — of a plant

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