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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. swing — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. swing — in golf
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — tied together
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. staff — employees
  13. bound — certain
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bound — obliged
  16. saw — the tool
  17. branch — a division
  18. swing — to play on
  19. file — a tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. file — a line of people
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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