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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: pit · hide · temple · fork · root · bay · bear · clip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. root — of a word
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. root — the cause
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — a hole
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. clip — a video
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fork — in a road
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bay — a horse colour

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