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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: patient · rule · temple · root · cabinet · fork · stand · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fork — in a road
  3. season — of the year
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stand — to bear
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cabinet — ministers

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