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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. last — finally
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — to go on
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. band — a music group
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stem — to come from
  16. last — final
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pop — soda
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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