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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — music
  11. mate — a friend
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mate — to breed
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fall — the season
  24. wound — an injury

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