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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: rush · temple · leaves · swing · file · saw · lean · wound

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. swing — music
  3. file — a document
  4. saw — the tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. swing — to play on
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. file — a tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. file — a line of people
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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