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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.

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: ruler · perch · ball · mate · file · wake · temple · bulb

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mate — a partner
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mate — to breed
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bulb — for light
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ball — a dance
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a document
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mate — a friend
  24. file — a line of people

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