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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · hand · object · chair · bark · court · stand · date

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. court — of a king
  12. object — an aim
  13. bark — to shout
  14. court — for sport
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hand — help
  18. stand — to bear
  19. object — a thing
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. hand — in cards
  22. court — of law
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. object — to protest

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