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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. object — to protest
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. present — a gift
  7. stem — to come from
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — an aim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. present — the time now
  21. object — a thing
  22. present — there
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chair — to sit on

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