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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: hand · temple · date · pit · pass · field · bear · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. field — for sport
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hand — help
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hand — in cards
  14. field — a subject
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. field — farmland
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. hand — part of the body
  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