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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: swing · rule · temple · spell · wound · mouse · field · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. swing — music
  3. rule — government
  4. swing — in golf
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. field — for sport
  10. spell — letters
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wound — an injury
  13. spell — a short time
  14. field — a subject
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. field — farmland
  19. rule — a law
  20. spell — magic
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. temple — side of the head

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