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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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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: patient · ball · nail · racket · race · perch · temple · stand

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stand — to bear
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. race — the arms race
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. race — humankind
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ball — a dance
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. perch — the fish
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — a contest
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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