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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 120 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: mate · sharp · squash · temple · deal · track · straw · patient

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a path
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — a song
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. track — to keep track
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. sharp — clever
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. deal — a big deal

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