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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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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: saw · temple · toast · chair · bear · foot · shower · present

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. foot — a measure
  3. toast — bread
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chair — a leader
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. shower — rain
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. shower — to wash
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. temple — side of the head

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