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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pop — music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. charge — a price
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pop — soda
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — in a race

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