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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.

Make a worksheet

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: band · kid · pitcher · patient · last · fan · temple · cap

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. last — to go on
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cap — a hat
  6. last — finally
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. last — final
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. band — a music group
  12. kid — to tease
  13. band — a ring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. kid — child
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. temple — a place of worship

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