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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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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: season · firm · cell · fork · band · temple · chair · patient

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. band — a ring
  7. season — in sport
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. firm — decided
  10. season — of the year
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. band — a music group
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cell — a phone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fork — in a road
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chair — a leader
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. firm — steady
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — a company
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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