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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · season · temple · press · lash · ruler · patient · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. current — happening now
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. track — to keep track
  7. season — of the year
  8. current — of water
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. track — a song
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. season — in sport
  19. current — electric
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. press — to push
  24. ruler — a monarch

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