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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · pitcher · file · foot · ground · temple

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. file — a line of people
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mug — to rob
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ground — a position
  9. file — a document
  10. mug — a face
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. file — a tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ground — crushed

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