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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: temple · present · mouse · date · patient · fan · coach · fall

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. present — the time now
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fall — to drop
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. temple — side of the head

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