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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 120 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: tube · mate · sharp · track · temple · craft · patient · chip

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. track — to keep track
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. chip — for betting
  10. tube — a container
  11. mate — a partner
  12. track — a path
  13. sharp — clever
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chip — to eat
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. craft — boats
  24. track — a song

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