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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: leaves · temple · tube · degree · coach · rush · file · present

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. tube — the underground
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. present — the time now
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — there
  14. rush — hurry
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. present — a gift
  17. degree — temperature
  18. tube — a container
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. degree — from a university
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. file — a tool
  23. degree — an amount
  24. leaves — of a tree

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