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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
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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 · temple · fan · cap · wound · rock · rule · saw

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. file — a document
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rule — government
  8. cap — a hat
  9. file — a tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rule — a law
  24. rock — music

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