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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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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: foot · rush · stick · kid · pit · racket · temple · arm

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. foot — a measure
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rush — hurry
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pit — a hole
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — to tease
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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