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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. land — ground
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. fork — in a road
  18. land — a country
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. land — to come down
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — a sauce

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