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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: temple · board · mark · scale · leaves · file · chip · nail

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. file — a document
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mark — a trace
  5. chip — for betting
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. board — to get on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. file — a line of people
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. scale — size or range
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. file — a tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. scale — in music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chip — to eat

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