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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 120 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: net · hide · file · temple · race · pass · suit · patient

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pass — a permit
  3. net — in sport
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. file — a tool
  11. race — humankind
  12. file — a document
  13. race — a contest
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. race — the arms race
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. suit — clothes
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — after costs

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