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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · rash · rest · mug · date · rock · temple · bore

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mug — a face
  3. rest — what's left
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rest — a break
  18. rock — music
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rash — a series
  23. rest — what's left
  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