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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cue — a hint
  3. hand — in cards
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. march — the month
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — boats
  12. season — of the year
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cue — a signal
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. march — music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cue — for pool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. craft — a skill
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. hand — help
  23. march — the month
  24. stand — on your feet

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