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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 120 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: file · season · fall · lash · perch · cap · temple · trunk

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a document
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cap — of ice
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a hat
  10. perch — the fish
  11. season — in sport
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fall — the season
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. file — a tool
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cap — a lid
  21. file — a line of people
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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