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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.

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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. craft — a skill
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rule — government
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. toast — bread
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. land — ground
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. land — a country
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rule — a law
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. land — to come down

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