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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: march · stick · jam · chair · mug · fan · safe · last

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. last — final
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. march — the month
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. march — music
  13. last — to go on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mug — a cup
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. last — finally

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