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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 · staff · file · board · root · wake · bulb · rest

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. board — a committee
  14. file — a tool
  15. staff — employees
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. file — a document
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — a break
  23. board — to get on
  24. rest — what's left

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