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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · temple · patient · rush · arm · land · cue · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. land — ground
  11. bear — the animal
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. land — a country
  16. row — to paddle
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. rush — hurry
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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