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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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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: land · pit · cap · mouse · object · temple · patient · wave

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cap — a hat
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. land — ground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. object — an aim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. land — to come down
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. object — to protest
  24. land — a country

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