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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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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: rest · bowl · patient · temple · present · wake · ball · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. present — a gift
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. rest — what's left
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rest — a break

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