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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · hide · temple · patient · march · cell

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cell — in biology
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cell — a phone
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. march — the month
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. hide — to keep secret

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