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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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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: rash · bowl · temple · deal · patient · cell · board · root

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cell — a phone
  4. board — to get on
  5. cell — in biology
  6. board — a committee
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — the cause
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. root — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rash — a series
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. root — of a word
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. deal — a big deal

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