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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: temple · craft · rest · file · pass · patient · staff · present

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. rest — what's left
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. file — a document
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pass — a permit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — the time now
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. file — a line of people
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. staff — employees
  21. rest — a break
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. file — a tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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