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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 · wound · safe · temple · pound · rush · bulb · scale

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. file — a document
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. scale — in music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. file — a line of people
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — hurry
  21. file — a tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — for weighing

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