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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: cold · firm · pop · sharp · pit · stand · ruler · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. pop — soda
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pop — music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cold — not warm
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. cold — an illness
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. firm — a company
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. sharp — clever
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — decided

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