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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · leaves · fan · firm · lie · temple · patient · lean

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lean — to bend
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. firm — decided
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — to recline
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lean — thin
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. leaves — to go away
  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