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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.

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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 · bark · content · stand · staff · temple · rule · bass

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — low music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rule — government
  12. content — happy
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. staff — employees
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bark — to shout
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — the fish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — videos and posts

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