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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.

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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: temple · foot · pit · bowl · squash · march · pass · drill

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. squash — the sport
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pit — a hole
  6. drill — army training
  7. march — the month
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. march — the month
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pit — in a race
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pass — a permit
  19. foot — a measure
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. squash — to crush
  24. 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