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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 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. march — the month
  4. can — a tin
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bank — for money
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bank — for money
  10. march — the month
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. can — a tin
  13. march — music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stock — goods
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bank — of a river
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pass — a permit
  23. face — to confront
  24. stock — shares

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