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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: mark · race · mine · patient · key · straw · cabinet · temple

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mark — a trace
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. race — the arms race
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. key — for a lock
  21. race — humankind
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. race — a contest
  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