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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: mark · fork · temple · bulb · rock · pass · patient · season

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mark — a grade
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mark — a trace
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rock — music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. pass — a permit
  24. patient — a sick person

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