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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bear — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stem — to come from
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. court — of law
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — of water
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. court — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. court — of a king

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