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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 120 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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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: pitcher · temple · stick · spring · row · bay · pass · racket

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. spring — the season
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. row — to paddle
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spring — of water
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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