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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.

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 · press · lie · rock · temple · ball · present · object

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. rock — music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — to push
  8. ball — a great time
  9. object — an aim
  10. file — a document
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lie — to recline
  14. present — there
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. file — a tool
  18. present — the time now
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. press — newspapers
  22. present — a gift
  23. rock — a stone
  24. ball — a round shape

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