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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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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: stick · suit · branch · drill · rest · temple · file · mouse

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. drill — a practice
  6. file — a line of people
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. drill — army training
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. file — a document
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. branch — a division
  18. rest — what's left
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rest — a break
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. file — a tool

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