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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: file · wake · wound · staff · perch · temple · pitcher · suit

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. file — a document
  2. staff — a stick
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wake — a trail
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. file — a line of people
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. temple — side of the head
  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