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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
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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: pound · patient · bound · charge · wound · date · temple · wave

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. charge — a price
  3. bound — tied together
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bound — obliged
  11. date — the fruit
  12. charge — electricity
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bound — certain
  18. charge — in control
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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