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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · pit · net · season · cell · temple · can · coach

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. cell — a phone
  3. season — in sport
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — in a race
  6. season — of the year
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pit — a hole
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. net — for catching
  20. cell — in biology
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chip — for betting
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — to eat

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