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

Word bank: wake · pit · rest · temple · foot · ball · drill · net

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a great time
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pit — a hole
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — in a race
  14. net — after costs
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wake — before a funeral

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