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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: file · fan · hide · temple · fine · ball · bark · land

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. file — a tool
  10. land — ground
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bark — to shout
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. file — a document
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. land — a country
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. land — to come down
  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