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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 · scale · lie · bulb · leaves · mate · temple · present

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — to breed
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. file — a tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bulb — for light
  9. file — a document
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. present — a gift
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. file — a line of people
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. scale — in music

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