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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: dip · field · can · patient · temple · rest · pitch · arm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rest — what's left
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. can — to be able to
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. can — a tin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitch — completely
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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