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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: ruler · pit · craft · leaves · bass · content · temple · chip

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bass — low music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. content — the amount
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bass — the fish
  17. craft — boats
  18. chip — to eat
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. content — happy

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