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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pound — a weight
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bank — of a river
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — a container
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. track — a path

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