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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: temple · mouse · patient · wax · lash · toast · ruler · land

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. land — to come down
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. land — ground
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. land — a country
  15. toast — bread
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — the animal

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