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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: bass · content · stand · temple · race · can · trunk · patient

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — the fish
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. content — happy
  7. stand — to bear
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. race — a contest
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. content — the amount
  13. race — humankind
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. can — to be able to
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. race — the arms race
  24. can — a tin

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