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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 120 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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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 hole
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chest — a box
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pitcher — a jug

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