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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: temple · game · tear · saw · fork · present · hide · pit

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pit — in a race
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tear — to rip
  16. game — a match
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. tear — from crying
  24. saw — the tool

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