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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · pitcher · mug · prune · date · bay · patient · temple

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fine — all right
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. date — the fruit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mug — to rob
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a face
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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