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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rock — music
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. court — of law
  8. object — an aim
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. object — a thing
  11. court — of a king
  12. rock — a stone
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. court — for sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. foot — the bottom

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