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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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. cold — the Cold War
  4. bear — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bass — low music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bass — the fish
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cold — not warm
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rule — government
  22. cold — an illness
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wave — of the sea

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