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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: spring · file · temple · hide · board · pitch · wax · perch

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spring — of water
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — completely
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — the season
  8. file — a document
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. file — a line of people
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. perch — the fish
  20. board — a committee
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. file — a tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wax — to grow

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