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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: file · temple · nail · date · rest · row · pass · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. file — a line of people
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. file — a tool
  11. rest — a break
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. file — a document
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. row — a line
  21. rest — what's left
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pass — a permit
  24. row — to paddle

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