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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 120 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: pass · temple · patient · bound · bear · season · mug · cabinet

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bound — obliged
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bound — certain
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mug — a face
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bear — the animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. season — of the year
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. season — in sport
  24. bear — the animal

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