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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: toast · roll · mouse · spell · cap · pit · temple · march

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spell — letters
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cap — of ice
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. spell — a short time
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. roll — a cake
  16. march — the month
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cap — a lid
  19. march — the month
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. spell — magic
  23. toast — bread
  24. cap — a hat

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