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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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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 · nail · bore · fall · shower · pitch · cue · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cue — a hint
  3. shower — rain
  4. bore — to tire
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pit — a hole
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bore — to drill
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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