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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: cue · patient · suit · spell · ruler · degree · bark · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cue — a signal
  7. spell — letters
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. degree — an amount
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. degree — temperature
  13. cue — for pool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cue — a hint
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — clothes
  23. degree — from a university
  24. suit — in cards

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