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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
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: band · prune · temple · race · season · roll · patient · fan

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. band — a ring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. prune — to trim
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. roll — a cake
  9. race — a contest
  10. band — a music group
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. roll — a list
  13. season — of the year
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. race — humankind
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. race — the arms race
  22. prune — to trim
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. prune — the fruit

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