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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: degree · pitcher · fine · chair · temple · foot · firm · arm

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. firm — steady
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fine — high quality
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. degree — temperature
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. degree — an amount
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chair — a leader
  21. foot — a measure
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. firm — decided
  24. degree — from a university

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