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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: temple · firm · sharp · mouse · wave · club · patient · coach

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — clever
  11. firm — steady
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. club — for dancing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — a company
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. club — a group
  24. temple — side of the head

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