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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: patient · wake · craft · temple · bound · branch · charge · drill

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — a trail
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. branch — a division
  12. drill — a practice
  13. craft — boats
  14. bound — tied together
  15. charge — in control
  16. drill — army training
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bound — certain
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. drill — the tool

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