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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a tool
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — to fit
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ball — a dance
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a great time
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stand — to bear
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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