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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
468
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: stand · temple · rush · file · fall · bark · trunk · lie

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — to recline
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. file — a document
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. file — a tool
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stand — to bear

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