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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
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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: firm · leaves · stock · safe · march · calf · temple · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. stock — shares
  3. march — the month
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — decided
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. firm — steady
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stock — goods
  19. march — music
  20. firm — a company
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — a strongbox

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