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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: nail · patient · wake · bore · race · bass · temple · last

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the fish
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. last — finally
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — low music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. race — the arms race
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. race — humankind
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. last — final
  19. bore — to tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. race — a contest
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. last — to go on

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