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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.

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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: fine · bat · present · content · file · temple · ground · rock

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ground — a position
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. fine — all right
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fine — high quality
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. present — there
  10. file — a line of people
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. present — a gift
  13. file — a document
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. file — a tool
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. rock — music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bat — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — the time now
  24. content — happy

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