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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fork — in a road
  3. net — for catching
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pit — in a race
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. net — in sport
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. net — after costs
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pit — a hole
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. temple — side of the head

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