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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.

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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: foot · file · last · pop · fan · temple · board · bulb

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. last — final
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — to get on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a document
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. file — a line of people
  16. last — to go on
  17. pop — music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. board — a committee
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pop — to visit
  22. file — a tool
  23. last — finally
  24. fan — a supporter

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