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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: temple · wound · bay · tear · can · patient · craft · dip

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tear — to rip
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. craft — a skill
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. tear — from crying
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — to be able to
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. craft — boats

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