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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 120 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: field · lash · mate · mark · file · temple · perch · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. file — a document
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mark — a trace
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. board — a committee
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. file — a tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. field — farmland
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. field — a subject
  20. file — a line of people
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. field — for sport

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