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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hand — help
  6. squash — to crush
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pit — in a race
  15. hand — in cards
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pit — a hole

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