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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
468
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: bear · mark · temple · patient · nail · tube · bowl · saw

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. tube — a container
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. saw — the tool
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a grade
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bear — the animal
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bear — to put up with

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