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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. capital — a city
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — in a race
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. net — in sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. net — for catching
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. net — after costs
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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