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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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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: bore · rule · hide · present · lie · temple · patient · wave

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. present — the time now
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. present — a gift
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. present — there
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rule — government

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