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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
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: craft · cell · pitcher · date · patient · charge · arm · temple

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — a price
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — in control
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. charge — electricity
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. craft — boats
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. craft — a skill
  23. date — the fruit
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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