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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: present · ruler · pass · shower · temple · toast · drill · patient

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pass — a permit
  8. shower — rain
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. toast — bread
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. present — a gift
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. present — the time now

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