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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: mark · temple · stick · chair · mine · dip · leaves · pitcher

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mark — a grade
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mark — a trace
  23. dip — to sink
  24. temple — a place of worship

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