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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. firm — decided
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. firm — a company
  13. pop — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wound — an injury
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. foot — a measure
  21. firm — steady
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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