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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
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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: tear · nail · cap · mine · temple · fan · patient · cue

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cue — for pool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. tear — to rip
  15. cap — of ice
  16. tear — from crying
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cue — a signal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. temple — a place of worship

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