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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: roll · temple · bowl · patient · cabinet · field · craft · mark

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. field — farmland
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. roll — a cake
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. craft — a skill
  22. roll — a list
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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