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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: mug · straw · coach · temple · plane · present · firm · court

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. present — there
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. firm — decided
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. plane — a tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. court — of law
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. court — for sport
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. firm — a company
  22. mug — a face
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. court — of a king

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