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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — the fish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bulb — for light
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a tool
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bass — low music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. temple — side of the head

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