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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: pit · firm · nail · trunk · stick · pitcher · temple · track

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a path
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. track — a song
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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