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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: pit · clip · firm · temple · trunk · stick · lie · wax

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pit — a hole
  3. firm — steady
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. firm — decided
  13. clip — for paper
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. clip — a video
  22. pit — in a race
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wax — to grow

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