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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: kick · suit · pit · snap · dip · spell · temple · staff

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. kick — in football
  8. dip — to sink
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. staff — employees
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spell — a short time
  14. staff — employees
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pit — in a race
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. snap — to click
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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