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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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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: swing · ruler · temple · court · patient · firm · key · mine

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. swing — to play on
  7. firm — a company
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — the most important part
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. court — for sport
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. court — of a king
  17. mine — for digging
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. swing — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. swing — in golf
  23. court — of law
  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