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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: rock · track · temple · present · pit · sharp · lie · perch

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. pit — a hole
  16. present — there
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. track — to keep track
  20. present — a gift
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lie — to recline
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pit — in a race

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