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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: fork · roll · temple · file · leaves · bowl · arm · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. file — a document
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fork — in a road
  9. file — a line of people
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. file — a tool
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. roll — a list
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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