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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 · scale · suit · leaves · pit · bore · stick · ground

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bore — to drill
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ground — a position
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. suit — in cards
  12. scale — in music
  13. ground — crushed
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ground — the earth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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