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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
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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: temple · game · nail · date · shower · squash · pitch · staff

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — employees
  6. date — the fruit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — completely
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. squash — to crush
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. game — wild animals
  14. squash — the sport
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. staff — a stick
  19. game — a match
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. staff — employees
  24. game — a kind of play

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