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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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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: patient · march · jam · plane · bound · date · temple · spell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bound — tied together
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bound — obliged
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. spell — letters
  7. date — the fruit
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. march — the month
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. march — the month
  12. spell — magic
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bound — certain
  17. march — music
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. spell — a short time
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. temple — side of the head
  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