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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.

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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: drill · temple · net · pit · roll · stick · pop · toast

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. roll — a list
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. drill — the tool
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pop — music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. toast — bread
  12. net — in sport
  13. pop — soda
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. drill — army training
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. net — after costs
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pit — in a race
  24. net — for catching

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