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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: present · temple · wax · shower · board · degree · patient · calf

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. board — a committee
  3. degree — from a university
  4. present — a gift
  5. shower — rain
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — there
  8. shower — to wash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — to grow
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. degree — an amount
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — to get on
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wax — in the ear

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