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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: pound · season · trunk · stick · pit · fall · object · temple

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — to drop
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pit — a hole
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — a thing
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. season — in sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. season — of the year
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. trunk — of a tree

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