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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.

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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: racket · temple · bound · present · wound · craft · patient · rest

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — a break
  4. bound — tied together
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wound — an injury
  8. present — there
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bound — certain
  11. present — the time now
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rest — what's left
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wound — an injury
  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