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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: temple · pit · fork · ruler · bore · shower · march · racket

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fork — in a road
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pit — in a race
  7. march — the month
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. shower — rain
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pit — a hole
  22. march — music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fork — a garden tool

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