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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.

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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
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: present · patient · wave · march · temple · plane · board · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. present — a gift
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. march — the month
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. present — the time now
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — there
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. board — to get on
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. board — a committee
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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