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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 120 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: chip · bear · object · stand · mark · temple · chest · court

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. court — of law
  3. mark — a grade
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. court — of a king
  10. chip — for betting
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chip — to eat
  13. court — for sport
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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