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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: bear · patient · tube · temple · lash · rock · cue · rest

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rock — music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. tube — a container
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. temple — a place of worship

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