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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · last · board · temple · pitch · pit · safe · mark

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. pop — music
  11. last — to go on
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. last — finally
  21. pit — in a race
  22. last — final
  23. pop — soda
  24. safe — out of danger

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