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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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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: pop · rash · staff · tear · ball · temple · season · pit

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pop — music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. tear — to rip
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. season — in sport
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rash — a series
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pop — soda
  21. season — of the year
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. season — to add flavour

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