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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: plane · present · track · patient · fall · rock · pit · temple

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. present — a gift
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fall — to drop
  6. present — there
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. plane — a tool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fall — to drop
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. track — a path
  16. rock — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rock — a stone
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fall — the season
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. present — the time now

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