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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: tear · last · bay · patient · club · object · temple · suit

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. object — a thing
  4. suit — to fit
  5. object — an aim
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. last — final
  8. object — to protest
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. tear — from crying
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. club — for golf
  19. tear — from crying
  20. club — a group
  21. suit — in cards
  22. last — finally
  23. last — to go on
  24. suit — clothes

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