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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.

Make a worksheet

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: foot · file · clip · temple · racket · fan · last · leaves

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. file — a document
  3. foot — a measure
  4. clip — to cut
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. clip — for paper
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. last — final
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. clip — a video
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. last — to go on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. racket — for tennis
  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