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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: patient · ball · staff · coach · mug · rush · temple · band

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mug — to rob
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mug — a face
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ball — a great time
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a ring
  22. staff — employees
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. patient — a sick person

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