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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: staff · march · content · patient · lean · deal · temple · season

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lean — to bend
  6. staff — employees
  7. deal — to handle
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. march — the month
  10. season — of the year
  11. content — the amount
  12. staff — employees
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. season — in sport
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. staff — a stick
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lean — thin
  24. temple — a place of worship

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