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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
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: temple · patient · squash · spell · hide · press · rash · calf

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. press — a publisher
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rash — a series
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. spell — magic
  12. press — to push
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. squash — the sport
  19. spell — letters
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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