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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: bark · pass · net · bound · cap · temple · patient · club

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bound — certain
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. net — for catching
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — for dancing
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. net — in sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — tied together
  14. net — after costs
  15. cap — a lid
  16. club — a group
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. club — for golf
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cap — a hat

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