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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: pit · temple · pass · ruler · craft · pop · kick · rule

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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 hole
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pop — soda
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. craft — boats
  7. rule — a law
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. craft — a skill
  16. kick — in football
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rule — government
  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