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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: ball · pit · hide · stand · date · last · rock · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ball — a great time
  3. last — finally
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — in a race
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. date — the fruit
  18. last — final
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. last — to go on
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rock — to move gently

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