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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: temple · stand · deal · bay · patient · mark · fork · bore

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — to drill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — in a road
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stand — to bear
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stand — for spectators

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