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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: suit · coach · race · wax · temple · roll · object · file

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. race — a contest
  3. file — a document
  4. suit — in cards
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. file — a line of people
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. race — humankind
  11. object — a thing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — an aim
  14. suit — clothes
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. object — to protest
  17. roll — a list
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. roll — a cake
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wax — to grow
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. file — a tool
  24. race — the arms race

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