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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.

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: spring · wake · press · temple · calf · pit · nail · land

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pit — a hole
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. land — ground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. land — a country
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wake — a trail
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. land — to come down
  18. press — to push
  19. spring — the season
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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