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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 · temple · nail · trunk · lean · deal · tube · field

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. deal — to handle
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. file — a tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. tube — the underground
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. field — a subject
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. file — a line of people
  20. lean — to bend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — thin
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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