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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.

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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: tear · wake · temple · firm · drill · pit · calf · press

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. drill — army training
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pit — a hole
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. press — newspapers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. firm — decided
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. press — to push
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. press — a publisher
  18. tear — to rip
  19. firm — a company
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. firm — steady
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — a practice

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