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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.

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: mug · pit · ball · wake · plane · ground · temple · rest

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a dance
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mug — a face
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pit — in a race
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ground — the earth
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rest — a break
  24. plane — in geometry

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