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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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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: rule · key · pit · staff · wake · stick · pitch · temple

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — a trail
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pit — a hole
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rule — government
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pit — in a race
  23. key — in music
  24. rule — a law

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