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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: temple · pit · track · perch · pass · mug · lie · ruler

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — to keep track
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a hole
  9. track — a path
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mug — a cup
  21. track — a song
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lie — an untruth

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