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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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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: calf · race · bass · root · ruler · patient · toast · temple

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. race — humankind
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bass — low music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. toast — bread
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — the cause
  15. race — a contest
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. root — of a plant
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  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