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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cold — an illness
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cold — not warm
  8. present — there
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. present — a gift
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — the time now
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — in cards
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rest — a break
  23. can — a tin
  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