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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: patient · temple · bulb · rock · mark · track · snap · mate

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mate — a friend
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — a stone
  10. snap — to click
  11. track — to keep track
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — for light
  14. track — a path
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mark — a grade
  17. track — a song
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rock — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — a trace

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