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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
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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: lie · pass · temple · file · snap · fan · perch · mug

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a face
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. snap — to click
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. file — a document
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pass — to spend time

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