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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: leaves · object · foot · bound · temple · cue · mark · march

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. cue — a signal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — an aim
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. object — to protest
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bound — obliged
  13. cue — a hint
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bound — certain
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. march — the month
  19. object — a thing
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mark — a grade
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. mark — a trace
  24. leaves — of a tree

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