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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fine — high quality
  5. plane — a tool
  6. season — of the year
  7. fine — all right
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fork — in a road
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bass — low music
  18. season — in sport
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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