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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: wave · temple · squash · kick · firm · pit · roll · object

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pit — in a race
  5. object — an aim
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. firm — a company
  14. object — to protest
  15. kick — in football
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. firm — decided

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