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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. content — happy
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. spell — letters
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. bank — for money
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pit — a hole
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bank — for money
  16. spell — a short time
  17. firm — decided
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. content — the amount
  22. spell — magic
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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