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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: roll · board · spell · plane · patient · wave · mine · temple

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. spell — a short time
  5. plane — a tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. spell — magic
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mine — for digging
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — a list
  22. spell — letters
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mine — an explosive

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