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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.

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: band · wake · racket · rock · pop · patient · temple · bore

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rock — music
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pop — soda
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bore — to tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. band — a music group
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. band — a ring
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pop — music

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