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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: pit · arm · temple · season · lie · staff · perch · mark

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. season — of the year
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lie — to recline
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pit — a hole
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pit — in a race
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — in sport
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. staff — a stick
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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