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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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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: rock · ruler · racket · squash · temple · chair · dip · pit

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. squash — to crush
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pit — in a race
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rock — music

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