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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.

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 · fine · temple · nail · mine · stem · chair · shower

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fine — all right
  3. mine — for digging
  4. shower — to wash
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — rain
  12. chair — a leader
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. patient — a sick person

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