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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · rush · face · present · perch · firm · object · temple

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. present — a gift
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — a company
  6. file — a document
  7. present — there
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — a thing
  10. firm — decided
  11. present — the time now
  12. firm — steady
  13. object — to protest
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. file — a line of people
  20. object — an aim
  21. rush — hurry
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — to confront
  24. perch — the fish

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