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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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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: land · bowl · stand · temple · fall · arm · patient · ruler

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. land — to come down
  2. fall — to drop
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fall — to drop
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fall — the season
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. land — ground
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. land — a country
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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