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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: bear · temple · band · mark · vault · foot · craft · bound

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bound — obliged
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mark — a trace
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. craft — a skill
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. band — a rubber band

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