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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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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: wake · temple · rush · chair · kid · pit · pop · board

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kid — child
  3. board — a committee
  4. wake — a trail
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pop — soda
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. kid — to tease
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pop — music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pop — to visit
  21. board — to get on
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pit — a hole

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