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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
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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 · temple · pit · rash · ruler · roll · pop · shower

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pop — soda
  8. roll — a cake
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. shower — to wash
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. roll — a list
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — a series
  17. shower — rain
  18. pop — to visit
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pop — music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pit — a hole

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