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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · stand · temple · roll · nail · bound · court · bear

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — obliged
  4. court — of law
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bound — tied together
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bound — certain
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. roll — a list
  24. temple — side of the head

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