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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 120 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: coach · current · bass · object · chest · temple · club · patient

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. object — an aim
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bass — low music
  4. chest — of your body
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. current — happening now
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chest — a box
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. object — a thing
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. object — to protest
  22. club — for golf
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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