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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · wake · tube · temple · racket · cap · sharp · pit

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cap — a lid
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pit — in a race
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wake — a trail
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. cap — of ice
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — a hole
  18. stock — shares
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — a container
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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