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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
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: board · file · fan · bat · temple · last · kick · lie

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. file — a tool
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. file — a document
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — to get on
  13. file — a line of people
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. board — a committee
  18. lie — to recline
  19. last — finally
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. board — a flat piece

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