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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.

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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: pit · drill · rule · shower · pitch · temple · dip · hide

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pit — in a race
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pitch — completely
  13. shower — rain
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rule — government
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. drill — a practice
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rule — a law

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