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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: clip · pit · temple · current · ground · dip · fork · staff

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. current — of water
  3. ground — crushed
  4. fork — in a road
  5. dip — to sink
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pit — a hole
  14. clip — to cut
  15. current — electric
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. clip — a video
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. staff — employees
  21. clip — for paper
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. current — happening now

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