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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. tube — the underground
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — to protest
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. object — an aim
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — a thing
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. leaves — lets stay

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