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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wound — an injury
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. bass — low music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. present — a gift
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bark — to shout
  24. temple — a place of worship

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