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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 · prune · press · chip · pass · rush · temple · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — in a race
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. press — to push
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rush — hurry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rush — to hurry

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