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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.

Make a worksheet

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: branch · bark · bulb · ground · mine · temple · ruler · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ground — a position
  21. branch — a division
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. branch — of a bank

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