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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
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: bear · jam · craft · ground · march · chair · temple · foot

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ground — crushed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. march — music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. craft — a skill
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bear — the animal
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. craft — a handicraft

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