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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — a break
  3. toast — bread
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ground — a position
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ground — crushed
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ground — the earth
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — a box

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