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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: ground · jam · temple · ruler · pit · mine · squash · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — crushed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ground — a position
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pit — a hole
  15. squash — the sport
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. squash — to crush
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — in traffic

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