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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: temple · file · last · coach · nail · rule · pitcher · cell

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a tool
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rule — a law
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. last — finally
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cell — in biology
  11. last — final
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. last — to go on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. file — a document
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rule — government
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. coach — a trainer

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