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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: pass · temple · key · calf · wake · chest · patient · spring

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. chest — a box
  6. pass — a permit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. spring — the season
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — for a lock
  22. spring — of water
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pass — to spend time

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