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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.

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: spell · cabinet · mate · chair · toast · game · patient · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. game — a match
  9. mate — a friend
  10. spell — magic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. game — wild animals
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. toast — bread
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. temple — a place of worship

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