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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: cap · toast · patient · temple · fan · ruler · firm · rest

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rest — a break
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. firm — a company
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a hat
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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