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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.

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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: ruler · temple · leaves · patient · mate · date · mark · fine

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fine — high quality
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fine — all right
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mate — a partner
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mark — a trace
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. date — the fruit
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ruler — for measuring

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