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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: arm · court · bank · roll · chair · cap · safe · temple

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. court — of a king
  5. cap — a lid
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bank — of a river
  8. roll — a list
  9. cap — a hat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — for money
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chair — a leader
  24. temple — a place of worship

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