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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · track · temple · jam · plane · drill · kid · patient

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. track — a song
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — a committee
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. track — to keep track
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — to get on
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. track — a path
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. kid — to tease
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. kid — child
  24. board — a flat piece

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