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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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 — in a race
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pop — music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pop — to visit
  10. kid — to tease
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. kid — child
  14. rest — what's left
  15. prune — to trim
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pop — soda
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — a break
  23. roll — a list
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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