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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: tube · safe · temple · jam · cabinet · court · march · cell

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. march — music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cell — in biology
  7. march — the month
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. march — the month
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. tube — a container
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. jam — in traffic

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