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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: kick · patient · track · temple · cap · bound · fine · perch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bound — obliged
  5. track — to keep track
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. perch — the fish
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. fine — all right
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. track — a song
  14. cap — a lid
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — a path
  17. bound — tied together
  18. kick — in football
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bound — certain
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — of ice
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fine — high quality

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