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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 · rule · patient · suit · stick · firm · hide · ball

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rule — government
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. suit — in cards
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. firm — steady
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. firm — decided
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ball — a round shape

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