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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: pit · court · chair · temple · ground · rash · hide · pop

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rash — a series
  9. pit — in a race
  10. ground — the earth
  11. court — of a king
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ground — crushed
  16. court — for sport
  17. pop — music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. chair — a leader
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. court — of law
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rash — on the skin

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