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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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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: jam · mark · field · pitcher · chair · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mark — a trace
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. field — for sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — a subject
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chair — a leader

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