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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
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: staff · roll · stick · lie · temple · jam · bulb · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. roll — a cake
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. file — a document
  18. staff — employees
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. roll — a list
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lie — to recline
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bulb — for light

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