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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: wound · tube · bay · patient · firm · temple · rush · bowl

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rush — hurry
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tube — a container
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wound — an injury
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. firm — steady

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