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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: patient · suit · pop · net · bear · ball · temple · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bear — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pop — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pop — soda
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pop — to visit
  24. net — in sport

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