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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: roll · mouse · perch · temple · game · patient · tube · squash

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. roll — a list
  4. squash — to crush
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. roll — a cake
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — the underground
  22. game — wild animals
  23. tube — a container
  24. patient — a sick person

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