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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: ball · tube · pit · deal · temple · spell · fine · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — a short time
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. spell — letters
  14. deal — to handle
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pit — in a race
  20. spell — magic
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ball — a round shape
  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