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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: pass · fine · file · rush · arm · cell · wake · temple

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cell — in biology
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. file — a document
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. file — a tool
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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