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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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. temple — side of the head
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. spell — a short time
  7. press — to push
  8. bound — certain
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bound — tied together
  21. spell — magic
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. spell — letters

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