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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: temple · root · patient · mug · cap · arm · spring · coach

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mug — to rob
  3. root — the cause
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mug — a face
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. cap — a hat
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. root — of a word
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mug — a cup
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spring — of water
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cap — of ice
  24. coach — a trainer

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