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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: temple · dip · saw · file · press · band · face · fan

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. saw — the tool
  4. press — to push
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. face — to confront
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. file — a tool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. band — a ring
  11. dip — to sink
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. band — a music group
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. press — a publisher
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. file — a line of people
  21. face — part of the head
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. band — a rubber band

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