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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: net · bay · pitcher · temple · calf · wake · pit · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pit — a hole
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — a trail
  18. net — for catching
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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