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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. firm — a company
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — letters
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bank — for money
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bank — of a river
  14. spell — a short time
  15. firm — steady
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — in a race
  18. spell — magic
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — decided
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — for money
  24. coach — a trainer

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