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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: root · temple · bass · bowl · pitcher · bear · cue · patient

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. root — of a word
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bass — the fish
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — the cause
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cue — a signal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bowl — a dish

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