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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: mark · patient · bound · leaves · stock · wax · wound · temple

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stock — goods
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stock — shares
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mark — a grade
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bound — obliged
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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