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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: patient · court · band · temple · mug · safe · board · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. band — a ring
  4. court — of a king
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. court — of law
  7. band — a music group
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rash — a series
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — to get on
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. board — a committee
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. court — for sport

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