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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · ruler · pitcher · pit · temple · prune

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — a hole
  8. prune — to trim
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship

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