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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.

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 · craft · pass · rush · temple · fall · perch · fine

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fine — all right
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pass — a permit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — boats
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. file — a document
  24. rush — hurry

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