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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · pit · pitcher · scale · cold · calf · foot · temple

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rash — a series
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cold — an illness
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cold — not warm
  14. scale — in music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. scale — size or range
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. calf — a young animal

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