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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: file · season · kick · face · pound · stand · temple · band

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. file — a tool
  3. band — a ring
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. face — to point toward
  6. band — a music group
  7. kick — in football
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. face — part of the head
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stand — to bear
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. face — to confront
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. season — of the year
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. file — a line of people
  21. season — in sport
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — a weight
  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