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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · swing · temple · season · lie · fan · hide · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. season — of the year
  3. track — a song
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. track — to keep track
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — in sport
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a path
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — to play on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. temple — a place of worship

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