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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.

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: foot · rush · craft · pit · temple · spell · pound · ball

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. craft — boats
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rush — hurry
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a great time
  18. spell — letters
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spell — magic
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rush — to hurry

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