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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · lie · plane · coach · hand · patient · wave · spell

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spell — magic
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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