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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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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 · stick · swing · chair · saw · root · jam · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. saw — the tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. swing — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. swing — in golf
  15. root — of a word
  16. swing — to play on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. root — the cause
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. file — a tool

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