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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
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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: patient · board · cell · plane · bark · rash · temple · pitch

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. plane — a tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitch — completely
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rash — a series
  14. bark — to shout
  15. cell — in biology
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rash — hasty
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — a committee
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. temple — a place of worship

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