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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: wind · patient · dip · temple · wake · racket · swing · bear

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. dip — to sink
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. swing — music
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wake — a trail
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — in golf
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. swing — to play on
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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