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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — hurry
  9. file — a document
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bass — low music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bass — the fish
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bass — the instrument

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